The Adventures Soul
by dude932
Summary: Can one really go back to a simple life after everything they've seen and done. An adventures spirit just doesn't go away, it just search's for the next big adventure. So when Ichigo and his friends get handed an adventure on a silver platter to travel a brand new world and find it's secrets, how could they refuse? Who the hell knew how crazy an adventure like this could be?
1. Chapter 1

"So let me ask you this." Ichigo said, after the black bag over his head was pulled off to see the captain's of the Gotei standing before him and his friends who also had all bags over their heads removed. "You kidnapped us from our lives... because?" Shunsui chuckled from where he stood, being Head Captain made him situated to stand at the end of the hall between all the other captain's.

"We owe you all a lot my friends." Shunsui smiled at them. "So, we've planned out a reward for all of you."

"That doesn't give you right to kidnap us! We'd probably come willingly if you just asked us!" Ichigo shouted making the other captain's look away awkwardly. Soi-fon simply huffed and crossed her arms as she looked away mumbling about how her younger squad members needed a training exercise in the world of the living.

"So what kind of reward?" Orihime questioned as she tilted her head to the side slightly.

"Well, after everything that happened a couple of years ago with the Quincy..." Uryu looked away at that. "We've been trying to come up with something that we can give you in return." Ichigo simply continued to scowl as Orihime, Chad and Uryu simply continued to listen. "I know, since graduating high school you've been all working towards your grown up lives and what not." Shunsui waved it off like what they had been doing since graduating was all for nothing.

"All except Ichigo who can't get a job doing anything." Rukia smirked making Ichigo glare at her as she was chuckling lightly at her own remark form where she was standing by Ukitake.

"Damn midget." Ichigo growled beneath his breath.

"Ichigo's trying really hard." Orihime pouted at Rukia who simply smiled at the still chirpy young woman.

"Anyway, we've been hatching a scheme." Shunsui continued before a book hit him in the back of the head curtsey of his lieutenant.

"Captain, please don't call it a scheme. It sounds wrong." Nanao told him making Shunsui chuckle lightly once more as he rubbed the back of his head where he had been hit. "Over twelve months ago now, Kisuke Urahara found a world within the boundary's of the Precipice World. Since entering this unknown world we have found something interesting about it."

"What?" Orihime questioned, her curiosity at it's maximum. "Is it a world full of aliens!?" She asked her excitement growing before she snapped. "Ichigo! Let's go to the alien home planet! Then we can rescue an alien princess! Get alien medals of honour!" By now Ichigo was forced to lean back as Orihime was leaning ever so close to the Soul Reaper. "But we'll be aliens to them! Ah! We could invade! Become conquerors!" She cheered making everyone sweat drop.

"Orihime, it's not an alien planet." Rukia chuckled making Orihime pout as she went back to her original standing position making Ichigo hang his head, would Orihime ever get the notion out of her head about little green men?

"Kisuke has been in this world for the past six months, gathering information on it. He seems to be enjoying himself immensely."

"That's because he's a freak of nature." Both Ichigo and Soi-fon muttered at the same time.

"He set up shop?" Chad questioned.

"Indeed." Shunsui nodded. "He's been gathering information, currency everything one would possibly need, everything you will possibly need." He added with a smile.

"Us?" Uryu questioned.

"That's right, we'd like for you to go to this world and travel the entirety of it." The four hero's simply looked up at him with wide eyes. "Yes you have jobs in the world of the living and yes you have your families, but look at what you've accomplished in your lives when you're just twenty years of age." Shunsui smiled. "You're adventurous spirits are to restless to simply sit idly by waiting for the next big thing. So, we've brought a new adventure to your door."

"Yay!" Orihime cheered. "Adventure time!" She jumped up and down, the male popularity watching with intent making Ichigo scowl at the lot of them making them all turn and look away innocently. "Let's go! Come on! We have to go! Please can we go!?" She questioned endlessly to all three of her friends getting laughter from the captains.

"First of all, what is this new world?" Uryu questioned. "If Kisuke has been there for over six months he should have reported something back, correct?"

"Indeed he has." Shinji nodded. "The world he found is mostly that of water."

"A water planet? Ohhhh water aliens!" Orihime cheered.

"Orihime, calm down." Uryu told her, placing a hand on her shoulder making her scratch the back of her head as she laughed awkwardly.

"It has islands, many in fact but water covers the majority." Shinji continued.

"Apparently strong enemies as well." Kenpachi huffed, since learning the name of his Zanpakuto he hasn't been able to enjoy much of his fighting since with one swing of his sword he could cut a meteorite in half a lot of people tended to steer away from him... more then usual. The research and development teams had been trying to come up with numerous ways to restrict his new powers but was finding it more and more difficult to do so.

"Also the period of time is... unusual."

"Unusual how?" Ichigo questioned, he was liking the sound of a new adventure. He hadn't been able to land a job and if he did, couldn't keep it more then a couple of weeks since someone always pushed him that little to far and he snapped at them, or a group of thugs would bust in and he'd start a fight which then lead to police getting involved.

So simply escaping sounded like a good idea at the present time. Although there was Yuzu and Karin, both who were in high school now, he didn't see them that often since moving out into a small run down apartment, it was all he could afford. Orihime offered to share the rent with him in a better apartment building but after the first week of that he decided to move out since Orihime had no qualms of walking around the house in less then nothing. She was just to use to living on her own. He had seen more of Orihime in that week then ever before.

"It's an age of pirates." Shinji told him them.

"Arr!" Orihime clawed a finger into a hook and wrapped it around Ichigo's collar and almost pulled him off his feet. "I'm a pirate." She laughed. Chad and Uryu both face palmed at the clueless woman's sudden announcement, anything would make that woman happy. Ichigo just simply gained an annoying look before Orihime gave him the puppy dog eyes as she apologised making him sigh and turn away from her, making him miss the slight thumbs up she got from Rukia.

"So we're becoming pirates?" Uryu questioned.

"That's up to you." Shunsui smiled. "You can approach this new world any which way that you desire, join the marines, the military of the world or become a pirate crew and search for the worlds fabled treasure. The One Piece."

"What kinda treasure is that?" Ichigo questioned.

"Kisuke will explain everything you need to know." Nanao informed them. "He has documented everything that would be required to know and has stored them in the cargo bay of the ship he has prepared for you."

"We get our own ship?" Chad questioned surprised.

"Kisuke has been working on it since he first stepped foot in the new world, says he had a feeling that you would take the offer." Nanao told them as she pushed her glasses up.

"Ichigo, I would like you to be head of the operation, meaning you'll become the Captain of your crew." Shunsui told him. "I recommend you don't join the Marine's, it will give you too many restrictions when it comes to your adventuring."

"So pirates it is!" Orihime cheered.

"Or we could just be sailors." Chad reminded her.

"But I don't want to be a seaman, I want to be a pirate." She told him with a pout. "I want to hunt for booty!" She laughed.

"Why are they acting like we've already agreed to it?" Ichigo sighed as he rose a hand up to his head.

"We haven't?" Uryu questioned him. "I figured you, with your lack of responsibilities would be jumping into this new adventure." Ichigo grit his teeth as he turned and glared at him.

"Well I'm sorry I can't hold down a job like you! Mr clothes designer, doctor on the side!" Uryu simply pushed his glasses up. "Shouldn't you be fighting to stay since you have so many responsibilities!"

"I've grown tired of my daily life." He simply shrugged. "An adventure, and one of this calibre seems to be interesting." Ichigo simply sighed as he looked over to Chad and Orihime, Orihime was giving him another puppy dog look while Chad was simply staring at him. He rose a hand to his forehead before looking up at Shunsui.

"Is there a way to return home?" The young Soul Reaper asked.

"Yes, Kisuke has been coming and going these last six months at will." Nanao explained.

"Although I have no idea how." Mayuri informed them. "I hate that man." He huffed.

"Well... I guess we can come and go as we please and everyone want's to go. We can see our friends whenever along with our families..."

"About your friends." Shunsui told making Ichigo cock an eyebrow before a side door was opened and Tatsuki along with Mizuiro and Keigo walked out, Tatsuki and Keigo having backpacks while Mizuiro simply had the clothes on his back.

"What are you guys doing here?" Ichigo questioned.

"Tatsuki!" Orihime cheered rushing over to the martial artist. "You're coming to be a pirate with me!?" She squealed in delight as she hugged the black haired young woman.

"You guys are actually coming!?" Ichigo shouted in shock, Chad and Uryu were just as surprised.

"Actually, I'm just coming to say have a safe trip." Mizuiro told them. "Keigo and Tatsuki are going." He said patting his friend on the back.

"Just because you won't get phone service in the other world." Keigo told him making Mizuiro chuckle lightly as he pulled out his phone and scowled at it, he didn't get any service in the Soul Society either. "If I come back and you are buried in your phone I'ma hit you!" Keigo shouted at him making the black haired man laugh lightly.

"We're not being left out this time." Tatsuki told Ichigo as she along with Orihime walked back over to them. "The Captain's explained what was happening and gave us a choice weather we wanted to be apart of it or not. Plus we're all together and it'll be fun, who doesn't like pirates?"

"I'm guessing the Marine's that are in that world." Uryu stated. "Possibly a lot of people who the pirates rob from..."

"Ok we get it Mr buzz kill." Ichigo sighed. "So, we're actually doing this then?" Ichigo questioned looking over the faces off his friends who all grinned. "Man... what a way to start an adventure." He mumbled.

"Stop being a pain in the ass already." Tatsuki told him before kicking Ichigo in the shin making him glare back at her.

"I'm the captain of the boat, I'll kick your ass off if you don't stop being an annoyance!" The two glared heatedly at one another making the others chuckle lightly.

"It's like high school all over again." Mizuiro chuckled. "Come on, huddle up. I'll take a picture before you go." He smiled as everyone surrounded Ichigo, Tatsuki and Orihime kneeling before the others with smiles on there faces, Ichigo and Chad in the middle with Keigo on Ichigo's side and Uryu on Chad's. "Could you guys at least attempt to smile?" Mizuiro grinned making Orihime laugh as Keigo put on a big cheesy grin, Chad gave a small smile while Ishida's corner of his lip rose and Ichigo smiled happily. The flash of the camera phone went off and Mizuiro looked it over and nodded before flicking his phone shut. "Well guys, I guess I'll cya around." Ichigo nodded as one of Soi-fon's men led him out of the room.

"Alright, so how do we get to this other world?" Tatsuki questioned as both her and Orihime stood up.

"The Senkaimon, Kisuke has situated a path that is easy to follow." Rukia told them. "I of course will be coming with you." She smiled happily, placing her hands on her hips and striking a heroic pose, Ichigo almost puked at the sight.

"Yay Rukia's coming!" Keigo cheered.

"Who invited you midget?" Ichigo asked. "Because quite frankly, who wants a bossy midget on the crew!" Both Orihime and Keigo raised there hands up. "Besides them."

"You don't get a choice in the matter." Rukia told him with a grin.

"She's always been on adventures with us Ichigo, let her come." Orihime told him. "It'll be fun, just like old times!"

"Uh, do what you want." Ichigo told them.

"I was going to anyway, even without your permission." Rukia said with a huff.

"Rukia is going as a representative of the Soul Society." Nanao spoke up. "With you Ichigo, you're not actually apart of the Soul Society since you're still technically living."

"Yeah yeah, I get it. I don't need to know the details, the midgets coming and I got no say." Ichigo sighed. "Just as long as she keeps her crappy drawings to herself and everything will be ok."

"Take that back! My drawings of Chappy are requested highly among the citizens of the Soul Society."

"You sell that crap! You're ripping people off!" The two once more were starting to get into a heated argument over Rukia's drawings.

"And I always thought Rukia was a nice polite girl." Keigo pouted.

"She is, she just argues with Ichigo a lot." Orihime told him. "So, when do we leave?" Orihime questioned.

"Whenever you like." Shunsui told him before nodding to Mayuri who sighed and turned before walking over to a far wall and muttering a kido spell before a Senkaimon began to form from the wall. "This is where you'll enter and exit the new world, so please don't make it too late. I like sleeping." Shunsui chuckled awkwardly.

"We'll try not to." Ichigo told him. "Kisuke will be waiting on the other side?"

"Undoubtedly."

"Guess it's time to go then. Let my Dad know, yeah?"

"We'll inform him." Nanao told Ichigo to which he nodded his thanks before the group walked up to the Senkaimon and entered it.

* * *

Once the group stepped out of it they were met with the warm sun underneath a blue sky... all before the large group fell into the ocean a hundred meters below. Kisuke had been watching from behind his fan as he sat on the dock with a small chuckle, Ichigo wasn't going to be pleased about that, not at all. Seeing all of them surface he rose his hand up the one that was holding his fan.

"Ahoy there!" He called out waving his fan over at them. "Welcome!" He saw them all begin to swim towards him, he stood up and picked up a make shift ladder before placing it at the end of the dock so it would go into the water below.

First up was Uryu who Kisuke greeted with a grin only getting an annoyed sigh in return. Chad greeted him with silence while Keigo complained that everything he had brought with him was now soaked. Tatsuki punched him in the stomach to which he laughed off. Orihime greeted him the warmest making him smile happily at her and Ichigo punched him square in the face sending him flying off the dock and into the ocean. Rukia simply ignored his pleas for help as he faked drowning.

Once everyone, including the now equally drenched Kisuke were back on dry land. He officially greeted them.

"It's been a while, all of you." He smiled.

"Any reason why we just free fell from a hundred foot drop!" Tatsuki shouted at him.

"Ah yes, you see when I first arrived in this world I appeared in the middle of a town and it shocked quite a few of the citizens, so I moved the location of the Senkaimon to a remote location." Kisuke told them happily. "And there you have it."

"You couldn't have moved it somewhere else!" Ichigo growled at him as he wrung out his shirt.

"Well I thought it'd be a bit nostalgic, I mean you entered and exited the Soul Society the first time like that, so I just figured."

"Just... just fix it." Ichigo told him.

"Well now that you're here you'll actually never go through that Senkaimon again. There is one on your ship." He told them happily. "Speaking of which, if you just look out yonda..." He said pointing out over the ocean, the group's eye's all widened at the site of the ship sitting there, anchor down. "That's your ship right there." He smiled. "A beauty if I do say so, you'll need to give her a name. We'll head to port soon so ya better hurry up with it. You'll need a craftsman to do the plate."

"And you didn't do it because..."

"I didn't know what you wanted to call her." Kisuke laughed. "Now, let's get you out of those clothes and into some dry ones. I've got a lot so don't be scared to take what you want." He chuckled, the group began to move before Ichigo felt a tap on his shoulder.

"Hmm? What is it?"

"Here, eat this." He said pulling out a candy dispenser. "It'll allow you access to your powers within your human body, it'll take a little while for your body to become accustomed to your full power but just bare with it for a while." Ichigo took the dispenser and popped the candy into his mouth. He felt a rush of power before his sealed swords materialised at his right hip. Having spent a lot of the time learning to control his spiritual pressure after the Quincy Invasion of Soul Society with Kisuke after his powers had once again started to effect the living he figured it was time to get it under control.

His smaller Zanpakuto held a white case with a blue tinge to it with a gold guard, it was the length of his forearm and a bit more. His larger Zanpakuto held a black case with a red tinge to it with a simple black guard, it was more then twice the length of his shorter Zanpakuto.

"There is a gigai for Rukia and I'll have her eat the same kind of candy so she can access her powers the same way. Saves you jumping bodies every time you get into a fight."

"Can people even see soul's here?" Ichigo asked him.

"Not many." Kisuke told him. "Anyway, you'll find clothes over in the small shack." Ichigo looked over to see Tatsuki, Rukia and Orihime at one shack amazed at whatever was in there while Keigo was just opening the other door only to stare with wide eyes inside.

"Guess I'll go pick out something." Kisuke simply nodded before moving over to a little spot where he had some tea boiling on a camp fire. He sat down and simply waited for them to come out. When they finally did come out he had to smile, they truly looked like some kind of pirate crew.

Uryu was wearing a long white sleeved shirt with a simple black and grey waistcoat, with white pants and simple black dress shoes. As Kisuke watched him he saw that the Quincy had stitched a Quincy cross onto his waistcoat in a blue fabric. Chad was simply wearing black pants with a sleeveless blue vest. Keigo had found a red collared shirt, it's sleeve stopped just below his elbows. He also wore a pair of simple brown pants that stopped just below his knees with a pair of sandals.

Ichigo wore a dark blue shirt, the V of it's neck outlined in white came down to reveal his toned chest, he has two white shoulder plates crossing his chest in an X shape with the plate on his left shoulder having three scaled sections also a white cloak with black markings tied around his waist; and small strips of black fabric tied around his wrists.

Ichigo's sleeve's stopped at his elbows and the ends were rolled back revealing white. A red and white sash wrapped around his waist, his shirt tucked underneath the sash but still fairly loose. Wearing black form fitting pants that were tucked into knee-length thick leather boots. Atop his head sat an upturned black hat with a gold braid brim wrapped in a white silk scarf that trailed down onto his shoulder. A large skill and cross bone pirate emblem sat on the front of the upturned peak. The top of the front of the hate was laced together with a thin white rope in a decorative manner. His swords rested at his hip, the sheath's in a rope holder.

Orihime wore a black pirate hat with pink frills. On her torso she has a black overcoat also with pink frills near the bottom, and a short red shirt underneath that revealed her stomach and a large amount of cleavage, her hair pins were positioned atop of the fabric on her left breast. She wore a small black skirt that reached mid thigh that also had pink frills and a belt with a steering wheel of a ship as a buckler. On her legs she wore knee-length black high heel boots.

Tatsuki wore a red bandanna around her forehead, her long black spiky hair pulled up into a pony and flowed down her back. She also wore a red long sleeved shirt that stopped just above her wrists and reached down to just above her stomach revealing her belly button under a black coat with gold highlights, open at the lower and upper front, and the lower rear. The coat has white cuffs with gold highlights, shoulder guards with a plated section hanging around the left shoulder, she wore an oversized belt around the middle section of the coat with a large buckle attached. She wore red tight leather pants and boots that came up to her shins, the pants tucked into them with gold buckles at the front.

Rukia wore a dark red military like coat with gold lining, silver shoulder pads, a brown diagonal strap over her chest thicker then her arm in width, white leggings and high dark blue boots. Her sword rested at her hip similar to Ichigo's.

"You certainly look like a pirate crew." Kisuke chuckled making them look at one another. "Alright, now that you've all got your clothing, we'll head out and you can get accustomed to your ship." He smiled at them. "Shall we?" He mused before leaping out over the ocean.

"I can't do that!" Keigo shouted before Tatsuki hit him across the back of his head.

"Neither can I you moron." She huffed.

"You didn't have to hit me." Ichigo glanced over to Chad who simply nodded, already knowing what Ichigo was about to ask. Chad walked up behind the arguing two and picked them up then placed both of them on his shoulders.

"Uryu, you got..." The Quincy had already formed a reishi board and was half way across the ocean with Orihime. "Never mind." He mumbled as Chad leapt across the air with his bringer light, Tatsuki and Keigo yelling at him to slow down. Ichigo glanced to Rukia who smiled before shrugging and leaping from the sand, Ichigo following after her. When they landed on deck they were surprised how large it was.

The ship was sixty meters long from her stern to the tip of her bowsprit, forty eight and half meters high, had a width of fourteen meters, and had twenty-six sails in all. Accompanying this she was armed with forty-six broadside cannons twenty three either side, four chaser cannons at the bow and two swivel guns at the stern. She was equipped with an iron plated naval ram she also possessed a sizable amount of iron-plating reinforcement across her hull, which would provide ample protection in combat.

"This is amazing!" Orihime said looking at everything atop of the deck. "Are these real cannons!"

"That's right." Kisuke chuckled. "They weren't cheap either, this whole vessel cost a butt load of cash. I had to buy the materials which cost the most, then I had to draw out the plans for everything, that took time. Then putting it together, man I never wished for help like I did building this baby. It really was a lot of trouble I went through to build this."

"Do we have a plank?" Ichigo questioned walking up and placing his hand on Kisuke's neck.

"Hmm? No I don't think we do. Why?" Ichigo's grip tightened around the back of Kisuke's neck.

"So I can make you walk it!" Ichigo shouted at him making Kisuke laugh as he pulled out his fan and waved it in front of his face as Ichigo let him go to explore the deck of the ship. "Trying to guilt trip us like that, the bastard." Ichigo mumbled as he walked up a set of stairs that led to the stern of the ship. He saw the wheel and had to smile as he walked over to it and ran his hands over the wooden object. He stopped as he placed both hands on the wheel, everyone was looking up at him a serious expression on his face. "Kisuke."

"Yes Ichigo my boy." Kisuke smiled.

"How the hell do I drive a ship?" Everyone face planted the ground at Ichigo's sudden question as Kisuke simply laughed lightly.

"I'll give you a crash course on what you need to know." Kisuke told him. "But after that, and after you drop me off. You're on your own out there."

"Figured as much."

"Chad, come with me a moment." Kisuke said making Chad look over to him. The two walked along the side of the ship before Kisuke instructed for Chad to raise the anchor which he did without question, once the anchor was set he led him to a gear system in the middle of the ship. "This here will most probably be your job. You've seen in movies how a ship like this would have a large crew setting sails, changing course pulling ropes, doing all that sought of thing?" Chad nodded. "Well, this here my new invention does all that." He grinned.

"You made it easy for a smaller crew." Chad nodded.

"That's right!" Kisuke grinned. "Now, it'll be your job mostly because in strong storms you'll need the type of strength that you have. Don't worry I've made the gear's out of sekkisekei stone so you won't break them. Also with it being built with sekkisekei the gears won't damage and will most likely be the only thing that survives if the ship sinks. Make sure Ichigo doesn't sink the ship." He said on the verge of tears.

"I'll try."

"Now, let's get a move on it'll take some time to get to port so push the lever forward." Chad nodded and gripped the level before pushing it forward through one joint, you could just hear the gears turning before the sail's came down on pulley systems, Chad looked up to see some more of the sail's hadn't moved. "They're for more speed." Kisuke explained as the ship started to move forward. "Ichigo, sail around the island, the wheel's connected to the rudder, you're in complete control of steering of the ship!"

"Right!" Ichigo called back down.

"A bit more speed." Kisuke instructed and Chad nodded pushing the lever up two more gears, the increase in speed as more of the sail's came down to catch the wind was noticeable and they were sailing through the ocean at a constant speed. "When you see the port decrease speed and Ichigo can direct her in."

"Right." Chad nodded before walking over to the side of the ship to watch the water.

"It's a dolphin!" Orihime cheered as she stood at the bow with Tatsuki watching as several dolphins jumped along with the ship. Tatsuki smiled as she watched Orihime getting excited over something kids would usually do. She glanced back to Ichigo to see him behind the wheel of the ship and had to smile, this was the first adventure she had ever been on with them. She hoped it would all be worth it.

"Ladies." Kisuke smiled. "Enjoying yourselves."

"This is awesome!" Orihime cheered happily, her face slightly wet from the spray of the ocean. "Let's plunder something!" She grinned happily before Tatsuki bopped her atop the head making her whine. "Tatsuki!"

"We're not plundering anything." Tatsuki told her. "If you want to be a pirate fine, but we're not going to do all the things pirates do."

"Okay." Orihime nodded.

"Would you like to see the rest of the ship, below deck?" Kisuke asked.

"There's more!?" Orihime shouted happily making Tatsuki sweat drop, of course there was more. "Let's go!"

"Keigo, Rukia want to come with us?" Tatsuki questioned as the three walked over to the doors that would lead into the back cabin at the stern of the ship.

"What about Uryu?" Rukia questioned before searching the deck for him. "Where is he anyway?"

"He's already figured out what I had planned for him." Kisuke smiled. "He'll be up in the crow's nest." Rukia looked up to see Uryu glancing down before he simply gave a wave before going back over. She simply shrugged before Keigo, herself, Tatsuki and Orihime followed Kisuke into the back room. It was a large spacious room with a dining table dead bolted to the ground in the centre of the room. To the left was what looked to be a kitchen. Orihime's eyes lit up at the sight of it but Tatsuki quickly hurried her along not wanting to give her any chance of making strange concoctions. There was a couch on the right wall which Keigo tested and found it suitable.

Next to the couch was a door which Kisuke opened and instructed for them to follow him down. They walked into an open area even more spacious then the room above, three couches placed in a semi circle positioned to face the stern of the ship, the room also held small windows looking out onto the top of the water, A couple of book cases lined the walls. Behind the couches was a small hallway big enough for three people to walk down side by side. Three doors lined either side of the hall so six in all.

"Right, first door on your left is your cargo bay." Kisuke informed them as he led them down the hall. "First door on your right is your freezer for any meat you may wish to store." He continued. "Second door on your left is the infirmary. Orihime I'm going to guess that you'll be the head doctor. You're a healer, if you need any assistances with illness Uryu was a doctor and can help in that manner." Orihime quickly nodded as she opened the door and looked at the office like space with bed for the patient with a desk for herself.

"Second door on the right is the bathroom. Now remember, there are seven of you, you all need to share." Kisuke chuckled, he could just imagine the trouble sharing a bathroom was going to be. "Now the last two doors you'll have to decide which one you want, they're practically identical. They're the sleeping quarters, each have their own toilet with beds in them. You can fight amongst yourselves later." He chuckled before a loud whistle made them all look up. "We got here sooner then I expected us too." Kisuke smiled.

"We're near the port?" Rukia questioned.

"That's right, let's head up and see how the others do when steering the ship into dock."

"Ichigo's going to suck at it." Tatsuki grinned along with Rukia. The group headed up to see the port off into the distance, Uryu landed on the ground with a light thud.

"Uryu! You're not suppose to whistle! You're suppose say land ho!" Orihime yelled at him waving her hands up and down frantically.

"Sorry Orihime." Uryu told her. "I'll be sure to remember that next time." Orihime nodded as placed her hand on her hips.

"You better."

"Alright Chad, start to slow her down." Chad nodded as he pulled the lever back sails being pulled up in the process as the ship began to decelerate in speed. Kisuke walked up to where Ichigo was slowly manoeuvring the ship into position so that it was side on with the dock. When the ship came to a stop Ichigo let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding. Chad lowered the anchor before starring off into the town.

"Good work." Kisuke chuckled. "And welcome to Loguetown." He said placing a hand on Ichigo's back. "The beginning town of the Great Pirate Age."

**I need a name for their ship, any ideas? I was going to have it as Masaki (Ichigo's mother's name) but am still on the edge about it. So let me know if you have any names for a ship. Would be much appreciated. **

**Read and Review**

**Peace**


	2. Chapter 2

"So this Loguetown, it's the place where the Pirate Age started?" Uryu questioned after Kisuke had just finished explaining the story of Gold Roger and the legend of One Piece. Orihime had been enthralled about the story hanging off Kisuke's every word, probably the reason as to why he had been so extravagant in his story telling. Kisuke had brought them to a small restaurant where they had bought a meal and listened to what Kisuke had to say.

"They say that pirates were all around but after Gold Roger's announcement atop of the execution platform, men who hadn't even sailed before took to the water like fish to search for the legendary treasure." Kisuke smiled. "Everyone here swears the story is true, at least the people I've asked anyway." He shrugged.

"So if I was a legendary treasure where would I be?" Keigo hummed in thought as he tapped his chin.

"Idiot." Tatsuki huffed. "There's only one place it could possibly be, the Grandline."

"What makes you so sure?" Ichigo questioned. "The story states that the treasure that Gold Roger had would be on the Grandline, but anyone with half a brain or in Keigo's case quarter of a brain would know that." Keigo cried as he was insulted, he was smart he just didn't want to seem like a nerd! "So, Gold Roger was probably pretty smart, he'd know that people would search the Grandline for his treasure and figure the best way to hide it would be somewhere else."

"All four Sea's have been searched, the only place left to search is indeed the Grandline, there are islands in the ocean that haven't been discovered yet at least not by Gold Roger's crew. It's meant to be dangerous from the moment you sail into it. The sea's are unpredictable, the monsters are even more so plus you have pirates, marines and basically anything with a heart beat will try to kill you and or eat you."

"So we're going to the Grandline!" Rukia cheered.

"No! I'm staying here with Kisuke!" Keigo cried. "You guys can all go get eaten!"

"Sorry Keigo, don't have the money to feed my mouth and yours." Kisuke told him with a smile, simply waving his fan. "I'm a simple candy store owner, not some rich man with money to spare!" He laughed.

"You just saved over a hundred million beri in six months and you say you don't have anything else to give to Keigo? I'm sure he'd eat dog food." Ichigo told him. _"__And I'm damn sure he didn't sell candy to make that money."_ He added in thought.

"I'd rather give it to the dog. Plus, you guys needed the money for when you came here." Kisuke smiled before patting Keigo on the back. "Plus, this guy just needs to find his nerve. He has it I'm sure, you yourself witnessed him pick up a sword and stand to fend off Aizen." He said to Tatsuki who nodded, remembering what Keigo did to try and protect them before the Soul Reaper had stepped in.

"Oh right, Afro Dude." Keigo nodded. "Maybe I'll go stay with him! There's a Senkaimon on the ship! Let me go home!" He cried.

"You're staying!" Tatsuki said slamming her fist on the table making Keigo pale as he stared across the table at the demon that was Tatsuki Arisawa. "I won't let you bail on this adventure, so get your head out of your ass and find that same damn courage when you picked up that guy's sword! We're going to the Grand Line and we're going to find that treasure."

"Who's this Afro guy Keigo mentioned?" Ichigo questioned making everyone at the table face palm.

"You can't be serious Ichigo, he's the guy who took over Karakura Town after me." Rukia told him. "You know... um... that one guy... with the name..." Ichigo stared at Rukia as she tried to come up with his name. "Zucchini?"

"That's a vegetable!" He shouted hitting her atop the head.

"I just call him Afro Dude, never knew his name." Keigo shrugged before slumping his head down. "I'm not a fighter you guys. I'm just a guy with nothing to offer."

"I wouldn't say that." Kisuke smiled. "If I am remembering correctly... your first two years of college you spent the time trying to pick up a girl so you took the same classes as her only to find out she was already engaged." Kisuke told him making Keigo pale.

"How'd you know that!" Keigo cried. "How could anyone possibly know that! I didn't tell anyone! Not even Mizuiro!"

"Speaking of which, how did you know exactly all our sizes for our clothing options?" Tatsuki questioned with narrowed eyes at the so called shop keeper.

"Any who..." Kisuke started making Tatsuki's eye twitch as she saw Kisuke dodged around the question. "One of those classes just happened to be about Sea Navigation. You got high grades to try to impress the girl." Keigo deflated at that. "Top of the class even."

"How do you know all this." Keigo whined.

"So you'd make a perfect navigator for the ship... which by the way, still needs a name." Kisuke told them.

"First things first! We need a name for our ship! I recommend!" Orihime started. "The Don Kanonji!"

"No." Everyone replied instantly making her pout cutely at them.

"It's got to be something to do with the sea." Uryu mused. "I mean it's a ship after all." He explained. "If it has something to do with the sea then why not?"

"Makes sense." Chad nodded in agreement.

"Hmm..." Rukia hummed as she rubbed her chin in thought. "Chappy's Revenge!" She cheered.

"Defiantly not!" Ichigo snapped at her making the petite lieutenant glare back at him heatedly.

"So it has something to do with the sea... how about something from our past as well?" Tatsuki questioned as Orihime was shedding tears next to her as her suggestion had been shut down instantly while Ichigo and Rukia were still glaring at one another.

"We're also all spiritually aware." Chad told them making Ichigo stop his glaring contest and smiled as a name came to him.

"Umi no Tamashi." Ichigo stated making their eyes widen slightly.

"Soul of the Sea huh?" Kisuke questioned. "It's a good name."

"I still like The Don Kanonji." Orihime told them before Tatsuki patted her on the head. "We could even do the Bwhahaha!" She cried as she crossed her arms over her chest doing the familiar pose.

"It's alright, we'll let you name the next thing. Alright?" Tatsuki assured her.

"Yay!" Orihime chirped happily as Tatsuki continued to pat her head making the girl mew as if she were a cat. Kisuke placed a small box in the centre of the table making everyone look at it.

"If you're going to the Grandline you'll be needing this." Kisuke told them opening the box. "I picked one up just a little while ago actually, it's known as a log pose. It's a compass-like navigational device, a necessity for travelling the Grand Line." The log pose simply looked like a wrist watch with a glass orb sitting on top and a needle floating inside the middle of the glass orb suspended from the top by a thin piece of wire.

"How's it different from a normal compass?" Keigo questioned picking the strange device up, the needle within spinning wildly around.

"Normal compasses don't work in the Grand Line due to the special magnetic waves created from each island. The Log Pose functions by recording the magnetic wave of an island in the Grand Line, and points to the next island to travel to. By rights after a certain amount of time the recording of the magnetic wave resets to accommodate the next island."

"Sounds handy to have." Rukia said as Keigo placed the log pose back into the box and shut the lid and flicked the locking mechanism shut.

"Do we need anything for the ship?" Chad questioned.

"Food, water and basic provisions." Kisuke told him. "Plus anything you'd want to buy while you're here, weapons, clothes or trinkets. You'll probably want to make your ship feel like home but I guess you could add things on your journey."

"I think I could use a weapon." Keigo told them tears running down his face. "I'm not super strong like you guys and Tatsuki is just a monster." Tatsuki kicked his shin underneath the table making him cry out in pain.

"How about we split up, meet back at the ship in an hour?" Ichigo mused. "Keigo needs a weapon, Uryu go with him buy him a pistol or something and a sword. Rukia and I can teach him some swordplay while you can teach him how to aim. He's got to learn how to defend himself." Uryu simply sighed as he pushed his glasses up making Ichigo's eyebrow twitch in annoyance.

"Orihime, Rukia and I will be going shopping." Tatsuki simply said. "We need basic clothes, food and what not so we'll handle all that." She explained making Ichigo nod his head in agreement.

"Chad and I will just look around town I guess." Ichigo said looking over to Chad. "That sound good?"

"Yeah, I'd like to see if they sell any guitars here." Ichigo nodded thinking having Chad play music on the ship would be a good way for everyone to simply relax.

"Well, I've give you lot your money, the rest is on the ship." Kisuke told them as he handed over bags to each respective group. "I'll head over to the craftsman so they can inscribe your ship with it's name and I'll meet you back on the docks." Everyone nodded as they rose from the table and exited the restaurant. The three groups split away leaving Kisuke to head back to the dock.

Ichigo and Chad walked through the shops trying to find anything that resembled a music store. Chad being taller could easily see over the crowds of people while people simply got out of Ichigo's way, the skull and cross bones on his hat making everyone believe he was a pirate. They could hear the whispers going around but simply ignored it, Ichigo didn't want to get into a fight the first day he was made a captain and get the attention of the Marine's, Kisuke had explained that they had a large garrison stationed in Loguetown so it was better not to get on their radar.

"What do you think?" Chad questioned making Ichigo glance up at him. "About all this?"

"Honestly?" Ichigo questioned making Chad nod. "I'm glad we're doing something again." He admitted as he placed his hand in his pockets as he walked. "Sometimes I wonder if it was a good idea to leave Soul Society after Shunsui offered me a position." Chad nodded softly in understanding as they continued to walk along the path. Chad's head perked up slightly as he saw a sign for a music shop before pointing over to it. "Let's go then."

"Right."

* * *

"Okay." Uryu started as they walked into a weapon's shop, swords were hanging off the walls with price's on them, Keigo was currently looking within a glass case at the gun's that were for sale. "We need to get you a gun and a sword, that's what Ichigo said." He sighed.

"Yeah, I'm a lover not a fighter." Keigo told him chuckling awkwardly as Uryu simply sighed in annoyance. "But I guess I need some way to protect myself out there." Uryu had to nod in agreement.

"Perhaps Tatsuki should think about doing the same. Her martial arts skill can't be denied but if Captain Kenpachi said there were supposedly strong opponents, then we'll have to take that one seriously." He mused.

"Maybe there are like special skills in this world she can learn. Like in an anime or something." Keigo told him as he looked over his shoulder at him.

"This is real life Keigo, not an anime." Uryu sighed as he pushed his glasses up. "I have no idea what I'm looking at here." He said looking at the swords on the wall. He glanced to the shopkeeper behind the counter to see him giving them a bored look. "Excuse me, my friend here is looking for a sword. What do you recommend?"

"Well, what is his skill level?" The shopkeeper asked as he picked his nose with his pinky before flicking the snot across the room.

"He's a beginner, but his teacher's have high grade skills that they'll attempt to pass onto him." The shopkeeper stood up and walked to the wall of swords that Uryu was looking at before pulling a sabre off the wall. "It's good for beginner's, not to heavy and not to light, evenly balanced. It works well on ships and is easy to draw from the sheath when needed." He said pulling the sword from it's sheath. Uryu examined the blade before nodding.

"And another for when he gets more experienced." Uryu stated, the shopkeeper looked over to Keigo who was looking in the glass cabinet still.

"He doesn't look like much yet, but I guess he just needs to start somewhere." Walking up to the wall he pulled another sheathed sword, this one much larger then the first sabre and had buckles around the sheath. The shopkeeper undid the straps around it as he placed it on a bench and unfolded the blade was large probably sitting just above a meter, the handle an extra twenty centimetres. The blade itself was red with a silver edge with a large hook like protrusion coming down half the blade. Uryu nodded again and the man wrapped the sword back up in the case.

"Is that all today?" The shopkeeper asked.

"A pistol, he has to learn to shoot as well." Uryu explained.

"Uryu! This one!" Keigo shouted waving the Quincy over. "It's like a revolver!" He grinned as he stared down into the case. Both the shopkeeper and Uryu walked over to the case to see the one Keigo was pointing at.

"That's a fine choice young man." The shopkeeper grinned. "It's a brand new model from the South Blue Sea just got a few in stock just yesterday." He explained. "It's a flintlock .44 caliber six shot revolver." He continued to say as he opened the case and picked the gun up before handing it to Keigo allowing him to test the weight of it. Uryu watched as Keigo aimed it up with one hand facing a wall.

"You feeling lucky... punk." Keigo started to say making Uryu groan and turn to the shopkeeper. "Well... do ya."

"We'll take two." Uryu told him. "And the two swords."

"Two? What for Uryu?" Keigo asked wandering why the Quincy wanted two guns.

"One for Tatsuki, she'll need something more then her fists." Keigo nodded although he knew Tatsuki wouldn't be happy about getting a gun it was better to have it and not need it then need it and not have it. The trio walked over to the desk where the shopkeeper placed all the items down. "Also, a crate of bullets and a few bags of gunpowder." The shopkeeper went out back before coming back with a large crate and several bags on a trolley.

"That's a lot of bullets." Keigo said.

"You're going to have a lot of practice. What's it all come too?" Uryu questioned already knowing it was going to be a hefty price.

"Right, the two swords, two .44 revolvers, a crate of bullets six bags of gunpowder... it'll come to four hundred and seventy five thousand beri." Keigo's jaw dropped at the price before watching as Uryu simply handed over the money.

"How much did Kisuke give you!?" Keigo shouted.

"Five hundred thousand beri." Uryu told him. "He gave the same amount to the others as well." He explained to Keigo.

"He didn't give me any!" The man cried.

"That's because you would of spent the majority of it on junk." Uryu said pushing up his glasses. "Can we get deliver to the docks?"

"It'll cost five thousand beri." The shopkeeper told him.

"That's fine." Uryu said handing over the money once more before handing the sabre to Keigo. "Don't do anything stupid with it."

"I know, I know." Keigo mumbled as he strapped the sheath to his belt.

* * *

"Why did I have to suggest that we go shopping." Tatsuki mumbled as she sat outside the shop, her clothing had been bought already and she was just waiting on Orihime and Rukia. "I knew it was going to end up like this, how many clothes do they need anyway?" She questioned looking down at her own bags, she'd only gotten a couple of things figuring she could wash them aboard the ship when necessary. _"__I'm glad that I got to come this time."_ Tatsuki smiled as she placed her head on her hands. _"I know it'll take a long time but one day I might be able to catch up to them."_

"Tatsuki! We're ready to go when you are!" Orihime called from within the shop making her turn her head to look back in to see both Orihime and Rukia paying for their clothing. They had already gone to the food market and purchased a large amount of food that was to be delivered to the ship. Orihime had been fascinated by all the strange kind of fish and vegetables that she had seen and Tatsuki along with Rukia feared what was to come when she said she wanted to be the cook of the ship as well as the healer.

"_We'll have to elect a cook, perhaps Keigo he made food for his sister all the time so that would be a good idea at least we wouldn't be eating whatever it was that Orihime called food. Plus most of us have been living on our own since graduation we've all got something to bring to the kitchen... well maybe not Ichigo."_ Tatsuki mused as she rose from her position as she picked up her bags, Rukia and Orihime walking out of the clothing store. "Are we done now? We can go back to the ship?"

"Tatsuki." Orihime pouted. "You were the one who suggested we go shopping."

"We've been in ten stores already Orihime! Don't you have enough!" Tatsuki yelled.

"I think she's right Orihime, we did get everything we need. If we got anything else it'll be just a burden on the ship." Rukia told her making Tatsuki sigh in relief. "So, let's head back. Kisuke will have got the craftsman to work already, so as soon as everyone gets back we can set sail." She smiled happily, she hadn't seen her friends much since after the Quincy invaded. They had moved on with their human lives all going about their days there was no need to contact the Soul Society since there was nothing big going on.

"We might need a quick get away!" Orihime chirped happily. "On the run from the Marine's! Cannon fire! Boom! Crash! Gah! My leg!" She shouted making Tatsuki and Rukia sweat drop as Orihime started to get lost in her own imagination.

"Let's keep the cannon fire away from the ship until we're better at sailing, okay Orihime." Tatsuki told her.

"Okay!" She agreed. "Let's get back to the ship so we can start out on our adventure!"

"Right." Tatsuki nodded and the three left the markets, Rukia poking her head in a few shops hoping to find any Chappy merchandise but didn't even come close to finding anything. Once they reached the docks and started heading for the ship, they saw Uryu and Keigo on top of the deck, Uryu forcing Keigo to know everything about his new gun so he was dissembling it and resembling it on deck.

"Uryu! Keigo! We're back!" Orihime shouted waving her hand up making the Quincy and human look down to them, Keigo waved back before Uryu told him to get back to work. Tatsuki and Rukia saw Kisuke at the bow of the ship and walked along the dock as Orihime took all the bags and boarded the ship.

"So, what do you guys think?" Kisuke questioned as he looked over the craftsman work on the name of the ship. It read _Umi__ no Tamashi _in wooden letter's painted with a golden yellow.

"I still like Chappy's Revenge." Rukia pouted. "Stupid Ichigo, what's he got against cute bunny's?" She questioned with a huff.

"I have to agree with Ichigo on this one Rukia, calling a ship after a rabbit?" She questioned. "Sometimes I wonder if you get your idea's from Orihime."

"Hey!" Rukia yelled. "Our idea's are perfect! You just can't see the grace of the perfectness of the idea's we come up with!" She told her.

"Alright alright, calm down." Tatsuki chuckled.

"Here." Kisuke said picking a crate up from the dock and handing it to Tatsuki. "A couple of things are in there for you and Keigo, you might need a bit more of a edge in fights." Tatsuki opened her mouth to speak but Kisuke simply chuckled. "Don't worry, it's nothing like the Karakura-Raizer Team, days." Tatsuki sighed in relief, she never wanted to relive those dreadful days where she acted as a super hero in Kisuke's stupid ploy to embarrass them all. "Just read the instructions and you'll be fine, also there are a couple of bottles of rum, what kind of pirate doesn't drink rum." He chuckled.

"Thanks Kisuke." Rukia smiled. "You're really helping us out here."

"Ah, you'll make me blush Miss Kuchiki." Kisuke laughed before an explosion rocked Loguetown making everyone's eyes widen as they turned to face the pillar of smoke rising from within the city. "Ah, and so it has begun." Kisuke smiled.

"What did those morons do!" Tatsuki and Rukia yelled in unison.

"I do believe it was Chad this time." Kisuke smiled, already knowing it was going to be a rushed farewell. "I suggest you get on board and prepare to set sail." Rukia and Tatsuki nodded as they ran up the board and pulled it over knowing both Ichigo and Chad would be able to get up. "Oh also, I've left a black flag below deck in the cargo hold!" Kisuke called out to them. "Make an insignia for your ship!" Kisuke could swear he saw glints in both Rukia's and Uryu's eyes and had to chuckle.

* * *

X-Earlier-X

"This can't be good." Ichigo sighed as Chad pulled the guitar strap over his chest, the newly bought guitar running down his back.

"I repeat! Come out with your hands up!" A female voice shouted making Ichigo glance back to the door to see several Marine officers all pointing their guns at the store. The music shopkeeper was huddling behind his desk cowering in fear, when the two had first entered the store he hadn't thought anything of them, but as soon as the Marine's started shouting about them being pirates he started to fear them. "Turn yourselves in Pirates!"

"How'd they even know we were pirates?" Ichigo questioned. "And for that matter, Orihime is the only one that has said we're becoming pirates!"

"Could be your hat." Chad suggested gesturing to the skull and cross bone emblem on his pirate hat. Ichigo glanced up at it making him sigh. "The citizens of this town could of simply mistaken you as a pirate and informed the Marine's."

"That sounds most logical." Ichigo mused as he pulled out the money for the guitar and placed it on the bench. "Thanks old man." He simply said before Chad gave him a nod and both headed for the entrance to the shop. Ichigo opened the door and both stepped out into the street, all civilians had left the area and surrounding the store were over thirty Marine's in matching uniforms.

There was a young woman standing with a sword in hand in front of the Marine's, she had chin length black hair and dark brown eyes. She wore a yellow button up shirt with a pink floral design on it, she also wore a pair of dark blue pants.

"So officer what seems to be the problem?" Ichigo questioned making Chad chuckle lightly.

"My name is Tashigi, Master Chief Petty Officer of the Marine core stationed here in Loguetown. You are both under arrest." Tashigi told them.

"For what exactly?" Ichigo questioned. "We haven't done anything wrong." He told her.

"You're a pirate, pirates are captured by the Marine's then sentenced to death by public execution!" She told him. "Lay down your weapons Immediately!" Ichigo glanced down to his duel Zanpakuto then back up to Chad.

"You mind?" Ichigo questioned.

"Not at all." Chad said walking forward.

"Halt! Don't take another step! Men, prepare to fire!" Tashigi called out before the marines watched with wide eyes as Chad's arm began to morph, a black like liquid covering his right arm all the way up to his shoulder in a liquid which then hardened into a form of armour. The shoulder extension became pointed, making it a little bit taller than Chad. The entire arm was covered in a magenta intricate design. Chad pulled his arm back, the end of the extension on Chad's shoulder opened up and began to charge spiritual energy.

"He's a Devil Fruit user! Run!" Tashigi yelled at the surrounding men who began to shout and scatter.

"El Directo!" Chad called out the name of his attack before swinging his fist into the ground causing a massive explosion of blue reiatsu to raise up from the ground infront of him. Ichigo simply watched as the Marine's scattered down every nook and cranny of the street getting away from the blast. The air whipped around him making him raise a hand up and placed it atop his hat so it wouldn't blow away.

"Guess we're pirates." Ichigo sighed making Chad look back to him before giving him a thumbs up, his Brazo Derecha de Gigante disappearing. "Let's get goi-!"

"There they are! Stop the pirates!" Another shout came making the two look towards the new voice.

"Shit, how many are there!?" Ichigo growled seeing a large group of Marines coming down the street. "Let's go Chad, let's just hope everyone's back at the ship." Chad nodded and followed Ichigo as the Marine's started to chase them, gunfire could be heard behind them. "Not even a day and we're in some kind of trouble."

"Wouldn't be fun otherwise." Chad told him making Ichigo grin and nod in agreement as they ran towards the docks, hundreds of Marine soldiers chasing after them. They saw the masts of the ships above the buildings as several Marine's blocked their path.

"You got them?" Chad questioned.

"Sure." Ichigo said, reaching down with his left hand grabbing the hilt of his smaller Zanpakuto before drawing it. "Meet you back at the ship, get her moving if you get there first."

"Sure." Chad nodded before leaping up in the air and using bringer light to disappear over the head's of the Marines. Everyone looked up with surprise at the speed that the large man disappeared and before they knew it Ichigo was before them. His short blade glowing a bright blue in colour, his eyes a shimmering blue showing his resolve before a massive burst of reiatsu smashed into all of the Marine soldiers knocking them back. Ichigo was on the move again before the Marine's knew where to look for him.

"Out of the way straw hat!" Ichigo shouted noticing a group of people standing in front of him, one wearing a yellow straw hat with a red line around it. The black haired teen simply turned to look at him before another man with green hair next to Straw Hat kid pull him out of the way as Ichigo dashed past them sheathing his sword in the process getting the attention of the green haired man.

* * *

"What was that guys problem?" Luffy questioned as he stared at the running orange haired man as he headed for the docks.

"Maybe the Marine's that are chasing him?" Zoro mused thrusting a thumb behind them making Luffy look back and his eyes to widen in a comical fashion.

"Wow! There must be like a hundred million marine guys after that guy!" Luffy shouted as the Marine's ran past their group.

"Not even Luffy." Usopp told him. "There's probably only ten thousand." He nodded at his own suggestion.

"Morons." Nami huffed. "There is only about a hundred, but even so... why are they chasing him?" She questioned. _"He could be a pirate... if he's here his crew is probably heading to the Grandline next, like us."_ She mused.

"Maybe he's a pirate!" Luffy grinned.

"Who cares, let's just get a move on." Sanji told them.

"No way I want to see what happens!" Luffy cheered before running after the Marine's making the other's shout at him before following in annoyance at their captain's impulsive attitude.

* * *

"There's Ichigo!" Orihime cheered as she saw Ichigo running down the street. "Oh... he brought a group of people with him." Tatsuki ran up to the side of the ship to see the people Orihime had mentioned were Marines.

"Chad! Get us moving!" Tatsuki called out and Chad nodded, having landed on the ship just a few moments before Orihime had called out. He set the gear's into motion, Keigo at the wheel of the ship to sail her out of the docks in Ichigo's absence.

"Have fun you guys." Kisuke said waving to them from the dock. "Send me a letter or something from time to time."

"Okay Mr Urahara! See you later!" Orihime waved before running up the stairs to where the wheel was. She stood up at the stern of the ship as the stern faced the docks. She saw Ichigo leap from the dock before sailing through the air and landing beside her, she gave him a wide smile which he returned with a small smile of his own before he blushed as Orihime rose one foot up onto the railing of the stern of the ship with her hands on her hips.

"Remember that today is the day that you almost caught the... um... the... hmm? Let's see..." She began to tap her chin making Ichigo face palm before she cupped her fist with her other hand. "I got it!" She cheered. "Today is the day that you almost caught the Karakura Pirates! Mwahahaha!" She laughed in an evil like manner, however all she could hear were the cheers from the dock making her tilt her head to the side in confusion as she saw the Marine's cheering. "Wha?"

"Great speech Orihime." Tatsuki said walking forward. "But just to let you know, you just flashed the entire dock!" Tatsuki yelled at her.

"What!" Orihime cried before Tatsuki hit her across the head making her whine. "Tatsuki, what was that for!" She cried out once more.

"Be more respectful of the clothing you pick and the actions you do when wearing such!" Tatsuki continued to shout at her.

* * *

"She's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." Sanji spoke from the docks, hearts in his eyes, his cheeks a rosy red with a small trickle of blood running down from his nose from the sight he had just witnessed Orihime give everyone.

"I think she may be as clueless as our own Captain." Nami sighed making Zoro and Usopp chuckle lightly, although the other two had small trickles off blood running down from their noses.

"Did anyone else see that girls pink underwear?" Luffy questioned as he picked his nose before Nami hit him in the back of the head.

"You idiot!" Nami shouted at him before sighing.

"So they were a pirate crew after all." Luffy grinned. "The Karakura pirates!" He laughed. "They have an awesome ship."

"That just begs the question of how they sailed off so fast, a ship like that would take time to prepare to set sail but they did it almost immediately." Nami mused.

"I want to meet the Captain!" Luffy grinned.

"I don't think it was the woman." Zoro told them. "The guy with the hat that told us to get out of the way, I think that was the captain."

"Well maybe we'll see them on the Grandline and you can ask them about it." Usopp told them.

"Ah! Till the day we meet again my love!" Sanji yelled out to the ocean, the ship to far away for his voice to reach them, Nami simply shaking her head in amusement. She doubted that their crew was anything like their own and if it was... she hoped it didn't cause trouble for her.

"Right! To the execution platform!" Luffy shouted before turning and running off making the straw hat crew sigh as their captain ran off again.

**Name of the ship: Umi no Tamashi (Soul of the Sea)**

**Name of the Pirate Crew: Karakura Pirates**

**Pirate Flag: In the works.**


	3. Chapter 3

"I think it's safe to say we finally lost them." Tatsuki said looking through a spyglass from the stern of the ship. She had been watching for any signs of the Marines on the horizon since they had left Loguetown, there had been a few ships in pursuit but after all of Umi no Tamashi's sails were down the ship was incredibly fast with all twenty-six sails catching the wind. Pushing the spyglass closed she let out a breath before glancing over her shoulder at Ichigo who was standing at the wheel.

"Chad bring her to a stop and drop anchor." Ichigo called down before getting a thumbs up from the large man who went about doing as Ichigo asked.

"Why are we stopping?" Tatsuki questioned walking up beside him.

"We need to figure out if we're going straight to the Grandline or if we're going to stay in this part of the ocean for the time being." Ichigo told her as he leaned up against the rail looking out over the stern of the ship. "We have everything we need, a navigator... or whatever Keigo is." Tatsuki chuckled at that.

"He's looking over the charts below deck right now. He actually seems to know what he's doing... for once." Tatsuki told him with a grin making Ichigo nod in understanding. "This has been fun so far." She told him with a smile. "At least this time you didn't leave us behind." She growled making Ichigo scratch the back of his head awkwardly.

"It's not like we tried to leave you behind." Ichigo huffed in annoyance as the two headed down onto the main deck where Uryu and Rukia were, crouched around something. "What are you two doing?" Ichigo questioned, fearing the answer.

"We're making our flags Jolly Roger." Rukia told him. "Now shut up and go away!" She shouted without even looking up at him. "Oh it needs more fur." She giggled.

"It better not be a stupid rabbit or a damn Quincy cross!" Ichigo growled making both Uryu and Rukia slump their shoulders forward as they were pushed away from the flag, Ichigo looked at the badly drawn Chappy the rabbit holding a Quincy cross. "What the hell is that crap!" Ichigo roared. "Just because you put two things together doesn't make it look good! Start again and don't add anything cute or remotely related to a Quincy!"

"What! Should it then be related to simply Soul Reapers! That's racist!" Uryu shouted at him.

"If you don't remember it was just three years ago that the Quincy invaded the Seretei!" Ichigo shouted back, the two pushing their foreheads up against one another.

"I remember that! I was there!"

"So was I and it wasn't fun!"

"Let Orihime draw it, she did pretty good in art class if I remember right." Tatsuki said placing her hand on her hips.

"She drew a picture of herself as a robot..." Chad reminded her making Tatsuki face palm.

"Don't let Orihime draw it, she'll draw a robot with boob missiles." Tatsuki mumbled remembering the project her friend had worked on that seemed like a lifetime ago.

"That would go well with this Chappy Quincy flag, boob missiles." Rukia mused before picking up the flag and running towards the top cabin. "Orihime! I need your help!" Ichigo groaned as he face palmed and dragged his hand down his face.

"That's going to be a weird flag." Chad mused.

"It's not going to be our Jolly Roger! We're going to have something normal! Because we're a normal pirate crew!"

"Ha!" Tatsuki laughed.

"What! We are, simply pirates going to do pirate things! Why can't we ever be normal!" Ichigo shouted, his frustration growing.

"Well for one, you're a god damn hybrid of what ever the hell is spiritual." Uryu told him. "Quincy, Fullbringer, Soul Reaper, Hollow. You've got it all Icihgo, no doubt about that. Then we have me a Quincy. Next is Chad with his fullbring powers then Orihime with her powers." He said listing them off. "Rukia a lieutenant of the Soul Society, along with Tatsuki and Keigo who are both spiritually aware and probably will start to develop powers of their very own soon enough since they're spending close quarters on a ship with a powerhouse like yourself, so tell me what about that is normal?"

"Right get off my back! That doesn't mean we have to have a crappy flag!" Ichigo shouted at him. "If Rukia thinks she's flying that thing I'm kicking her ass off this boat. I won't be seen on a ship with a flag like that." He huffed.

"Oh, so it's all about your image now." Tatsuki laughed. "Why didn't I come to that conclusion." She continued to laugh, holding her sides.

"Do you want to arrive on an island with a flag like that where people can see you associated with it?" Ichigo questioned making Tatsuki think for a moment. "That's what I thought!" Tatsuki simply hung her head as Chad paled thinking of how humiliating it would be to have a flag such as that. "That's it, we're having a vote." Ichigo declared. _"Keigo won't stand for such a flag either."_ Ichigo mused as he and Chad walked towards the cabin. "Down stairs and we'll decide this for sure." Opening the door the flag was shoved in his face.

"Ichigo look! It's a booby missile Chappy Quincy!" Orihime declared making Ichigo groan. "What do you think!?"

"We're taking a vote on the Flag." Ichigo told her. "Downstairs." Orihime tilted her head before shrugging and following them down the stairs with Rukia to see Keigo sitting on one of the couches charts on a small table in front of him. "Yo, Keigo." Keigo glanced up and tilted his head as he saw everyone walking down the stairs.

"What's up?" Keigo questioned.

"We're having a vote." Tatsuki told him knowing their possible future embarrassing situations all relied on Keigo.

"On?"

"The Flag." Ichigo told him. "Either their crappy design." Orihime pouted and held it up Keigo going bug eyed at the site of it. "Or a better one that we can make without a crappy rabbit on it, or Quincy cross... or boob missiles." He sighed.

"Racist." Uryu muttered.

"I'm part Quincy to you moron!" Ichigo shouted at him.

"Why don't we just use that one over there on the wall?" Keigo questioned making everyone turn to see a flag on the wall, it was a black flag with the same symbol as the one that was on Rukia's red glove that she had used to first remove Ichigo's soul from his human body and the same symbol on the bottom of Kisuke's cane. A white skull surrounded by blue flames outlined in white.

"Alright then, the choice is between that one on the wall and the one Uryu, Rukia and Orihime designed." Ichigo said walking over to the flag on the wall where a small note was attached to it. He plucked it off and sweat dropped. _"One I made __e__arlier. Kisuke." _"Idiot." Ichigo chuckled. "All in favour of the cra-" He saw Rukia glare at him and tears swell up in Orihime's eyes as he was about to insult the design making him sigh. "The hand designed flag by members of our crew. Raise your hand." Instantly Rukia, Uryu and Orihime raised their hands, Orihime waving hers around frantically. "Right and all in favour of this one Kisuke made earlier?" Everyone else raised their hand making Orihime pout.

"You guys don't know anything about design! Look at the flawless cuteness of the Rabbit!" Rukia shouted shoving the flag in Ichigo's face. "Look at it!"

"Would you knock it off!" Ichigo growled backing away from Rukia. "We decided it fair and square, four to three. Uryu, go put this up where it's suppose to go." Ichigo said taking the flag down and passing it to Uryu. "Also keep a lookout up there for anything we need to know about."

"Why do I get the feeling you like giving me orders."

"I do, because your a pompous ass." Ichigo grinned making Uryu sigh as he pushed his glasses up, took the flag from Ichigo and headed up the stairs.

"Who's hungry!" Orihime cheered making everyone stop and look at her. "I was going to make something for lunch, anyone interested."

"Sure thing Orihime." Ichigo told her with a smile making everyone's jaw drop. "What?"

"You're a brave soul Ichigo." Chad simply said placing a hand on his shoulder.

"You know Orihime's actually a good cook, right?" Ichigo told them. "Sure she makes some weird concoctions some times but when cooking normally she's almost as good as Yuzu." He declared.

"And how would you know?" Tatsuki questioned.

"Ichigo and I lived together for a week!" Orihime declared with a grin.

"Huh? Since when?" Tatsuki asked her.

"Oh it was a while back, I visited Ichigo one time and when I knocked on his door it kinda broke I apologised and tried to fix it but it only got worse so Ichigo told me to leave it be. I did and then hung my coat up on a hook on the wall but that just brought down the dry wall." Ichigo groaned as Orihime continued to tell of everything that broke in his apartment when she came to visit him one time to which inevitable led to him moving in with her for a week. "Then suddenly he moved out, why was that Ichigo you never told me." She said making everyone turn to the slightly blushing Ichigo.

"It's not important." Ichigo told them regaining his composure. "What is important is that Orihime can cook food that won't kill us all." He stated.

"So I can be the cook as well as be the healer!?" She questioned with stars in her eyes.

"As long as you don't start mixing strange ingredients together, make anything you want with your own food Orihime but with ours, keep it simple and normal." Tatsuki told her.

"Okay, but you'll be missing out on a ton of flavour!" She told them before running up the stairs.

"Plus the majority of us can cook anyway." Tatsuki told them. "So it'll be Ichigo that has to put up with her cooking if it turns toxic." Ichigo growled at her, he was hopeless in the kitchen he even burnt boiling water. Yuzu tried to teach him to cook before he moved out and almost burnt the house down. Yeah, cooking wasn't Ichigo's thing in life.

"So Keigo, how comes the charts or whatever?" Ichigo questioned as Keigo moved back to the couch.

"Well from what I can tell there are two possible ways for us to enter the Grandline assuming that's where we're heading." Keigo told him pulling a chart from the pile and laying it flat on the table. "We can either sail through the calm belt, which Mr Urahara stated would be highly dangerous because of all the sea monsters and no wind for us to catch in the sails."

"Sea Monsters?" Tatsuki questioned.

"He doesn't go into detail." Keigo told her his hands shaking nervously.

"What's the other way? Less sea monster way I suppose?" Rukia asked.

"That would be Reverse Mountain." Keigo told him. "Mr Urahara noted that it was a mountain where the current flows upwards. I don't even see how that's even possible but that's what Mr Urahara explained about it in this here cheat sheet." He said holding up a purple book.

"What is that anyway?" Ichigo questioned.

"It was with all the charts." Keigo told them. "It's got tons of information on it, helpful too." Keigo explained. "There is no safe way into the Grandline but from what I can tell Reverse Mountain is the safest, it's also close by." He said showing them the map and pointing to a spot at sea. "We've been travelling for a few hours since Loguetown so we'll be around this area at the moment since we headed south west." He continued tracing a line with his finger across the map. "This is Reverse Mountain here, I'd say a few more hours of travel and we'll start to see it."

"So how does it work?" Chad asked, his curiosity coming to the surface.

"Not a clue, all I know is that it connects all fours seas and is one of the two known entrances to the Grandline." Keigo explained. "Strong currents is probably what allows ship's to travel up the mountain."

"Even the strongest currents wouldn't be able to do that though." Tatsuki said. "It's impossible for water to flow upwards, no matter how strong the current is, it's not logical." Keigo simply shrugged not knowing how to answer her all he knew was what Kisuke had put in the book for him to read over.

"So do we risk the sea monsters or do we go up the mountain?" Rukia questioned figuring they were heading to the Grandline instead of staying in the East Blue Sea.

"Mountain!" Keigo cried. "I don't want to see a sea monster! At least not yet anyway! It's our first day in this world I don't want to die!" He wailed making Ichigo sigh.

"He's the navigator." Ichigo told them. "I guess we're going up a mountain."

"I bet it's Kisuke just pulling our leg and we have to go through the calm belt." Tatsuki huffed not believing a ship could sail up a mountain.

"Chad let's go get the ship moving, Keigo come up with us to make sure we're on the right course." Ichigo told him making Keigo nod as he began to pick up his charts along with a compass. Rukia and Tatsuki sighed as they both sat down on one of the couches.

"It's been a hell of a day." Rukia smiled making Tatsuki hum in agreement. "So, what's it like so far, your first big adventure?" She questioned.

"It has been fun, and from what I can tell we're all enjoying ourselves." Tatsuki smiled back at her.

"I'd have to agree with you." Rukia continued to smile. "It's been a long time since I've had this much fun." She spoke as she watched Tatsuki pull up the crate that Kisuke had given her before their departure from Loguetown. "You haven't looked in it yet?" Rukia asked surprised, after what Kisuke said she would of figured that Tatsuki would of already search the crate twice over.

"Kinda been busy." Tatsuki chuckled as she opened the crate, laying in some straw was six bottles of rum making Tatsuki simply shake her head as she placed the bottles on the table, Rukia leaning forward and examining one of them as Tatsuki continued to search through the crate. _"He said there would be something in here that would give both me and Keigo an edge in fights... so where is it?"_ She questioned as she rummaged through the crate some more her frustration growing "Damn it! There's nothing in here!" Tatsuki shouted in annoyance throwing the crate across the room straw going everywhere from within. She went to pick up the lid to throw it however stopped after seeing a piece of paper tapped to the underside of it.

_For Tatsuki and Keigo_ it read making Tatsuki pull the slip of paper from it and flip it over, Rukia moving to sit next to her to examine the piece of paper. _Search the ship and you'll find what you're looking for, or it may find you first. Kisuke._

_P.S Rukia no telling!_

"What the hell is that suppose to mean?" Tatsuki questioned as she turned to Rukia with a questioning gaze wandering what the Soul Reaper knew, Rukia smiled slightly figuring what Kisuke had already planned for the two humans.

"I'm sure you'll find out soon enough." Rukia chuckled. "Now, let's go up stairs and see what Orihime made for lunch." Tatsuki simply sighed and nodded before pocketing the note. The two girls found Orihime dancing around the kitchen making sandwiches for everyone. She gave them to Rukia who took them out onto the deck, she saw Chad sitting beside the gears of the ship tuning his guitar. Uryu was probably up in the crows nest while Ichigo and Keigo were standing up near the wheel of the ship. "Lunch!" Rukia called out with a smile.

The crew of Umi no Tamashi sailed for a few hours before Uryu alerted them of dark clouds ahead. As they came closer the clouds seemed to grow in density and the winds began to pick up increasing the ship's speed, Chad adjusted the gear's to slow her down as they approached the dark clouds ahead.

"The current is picking up." Ichigo said noticing the pull of the strong currents below. Keigo nodded from beside him as he gripped the rails, his nerves starting to come into play. If he was wrong and there was still indeed a mountain the currents would pull them in and smash the ship against the docks and they'd probably all drown. Or at least he and Tatsuki would drown since they weren't super freaks! Rain hit the deck making Ichigo scowl as it grew heavier, he and Keigo began to get soaked luckily Keigo had taken the charts below deck as soon as he had seen the storm clouds.

"Chad!" Keigo called out over the rain. "Bring up the sails! We'll have enough speed with the current!" Chad nodded as he turned and pulled the lever down making the gears turn and pull the sail's up.

"I hope you know what you've gotten us into Keigo." Ichigo smirked at him.

"So do I." Keigo told him with a grin of his own Ichigo's confidence brought out some hope in Keigo. The rain continued to get heavier as the sea's grew rougher and rocked the ship, Ichigo gripping the wheel to hold it steady with a vast majority of his strength.

"You guys might want to get below!" Ichigo called down over the roaring winds.

"Like we'd miss this!" Rukia called back, Ichigo looked down to see Rukia fastening ropes to the main mast for herself, Orihime and Tatsuki.

"I want a safety rope." Keigo cried.

"I can see the mountain!" Uryu shouted from atop the crow's nest before leaping down to where Ichigo and Keigo were. "There's a canal going up the mountain through an entrance of the cliff." Ichigo looked and saw what Uryu was talking about through the heavy rain and mist.

"We're going to die!" Keigo cried as he saw the flat face of the mountain.

"Keep going straight and we'll sail right through it." Uryu instructed. "This is a life and death situation you know."

"When is anything not!" Ichigo grinned. "Chad! Full sails!"

"What!" Uryu and Keigo shouted at him.

"If we're going to die might as well get it over with!" Ichigo laughed as Chad pushed the lever through the gears, the Umi no Tamashi speeding up rapidly and rushing forward through the crashing waves. Keigo shouting obscenities the entire way up to the entrance as Uryu insulted Ichigo as he gripped the rail tightly.

"No way!" Tatsuki shouted looking through the spyglass as she gripped the port side rail. "The ocean is really flowing up the mountain!" She said in awe.

"This is so exciting!" Orihime grinned happily clapping excitedly.

"The first big test for the Umi no Tamashi." Rukia smiled as she looked forward to see them directly on course. The set's of stone pillars passed them over head before they started to ascend up the mountain. Chad pulled the lever sending the sails up allowing the current to take them up the mountain.

"This is unbelievable!" Tatsuki shouted as they began to travel upwards.

"Are we dead?" Keigo questioned as he clenched the rails with his entire body eyes clenched shut.

"You keep your eyes shut and you'll miss the entire thing Keigo." Ichigo laughed as he looked around, it truly was amazing sight as they began to ascend up through the clouds before they broke through and sunlight shined down on them.

"We've almost reached the summit!" Rukia called up to him. Ichigo nodded noticing the slight chill in the air before seeing the splashing water turn to ice crystals and shattering.

"The atmosphere is thin up here." Uryu noted.

"Not like we're staying up here for long, look over there." Ichigo pointed showing the canal that seemed to be the only way that the current was going downwards.

"I wish I had a camera." Keigo sighed.

"We're not slowing down." Uryu stated making Ichigo scowl. "You're going to have to turn her down the canal in an instant and hope that no other ships are coming up at the same time otherwise we'll collide." Uryu continued.

"Chad get ready!" Ichigo called down and got a thumbs up in response before he grabbed the handle of the lever with both hands knowing that Ichigo was going to turn the ship and catch the wind in the sails to push them down the canal.

"Time it right." Uryu instructed as Keigo started to wail again as they approached the summit. Ichigo gripped the top of the wheel with both hands as Uryu watched for the opportune moment. "Now!"

"Chad! Now!" Ichigo roared as he forced the wheel to port side bringing the nose of the ship left as soon as the sails were down they caught the strong wind of the summit increasing the force of the turn and allowing the ship to enter the canal and head downwards without any trouble although they had gathered a ton of speed, currently Keigo was still wailing at the top of his lungs beside Ichigo who was grinning, Uryu was smiling as he watched their descent.

Tatsuki was screaming as she hid behind the rail gripping onto it for dear life as Orihime stood at the bow of the ship rope still fastened around her waist laughing with her arms out wide her hair blowing back wildly in the wind, it was amazing that her hat hadn't flown off yet. Rukia was smiling enjoying the breeze through her short hair as Chad simply watched with a small smile. A mass tremor made everyone look around in surprise before it happened again.

"The hell was that?" Ichigo questioned as it rocked the ship.

"An earthquake?" Keigo questioned.

"We wouldn't feel it up here." Uryu stated. "It's something else. Be prepared to manoeuvre the ship at a moments notice Ichigo." He instructed as he kept a watch out but couldn't see past the clouds below covering the view of the ocean.

"Right." Ichigo nodded as more tremor's began to rock the boat, Ichigo keeping the wheel steady to keep the ship on course. They hit the clouds and continued to descend at a high speed however there was no way to slow the ship down until they had enough ocean to turn in. They both saw the tremor waves at the entrance to the canal, it almost seemed like something beneath the water was striking the side of the mountain.

"Go straight and don't turn! Not until we're clear of the waves!" Rukia called back up seeing the problem. "If we hit those waves side on we'll capsize!"

"What if that thing surfaces!" Keigo shouted.

"Let's just hope it doesn't." Ichigo said gripping the wheel. They hit the open water and the Umi no Tamashi hit the first wave tremor and rose slightly out of the water at the force that it hit before landing and sailing across the open water all the way until the tremors finally stopped, Ichigo turned the ship to port side and Chad pulled the sails up so they would come to a stop. Uryu pulled out his own spyglass and looked back to the canal to see that there was an encampment at the bottom of the mountain with a lighthouse station there with a small dock off to one side.

"A dock over there." Uryu pointed. "We can go there, check to make sure the ship is still in good condition, we came down pretty hard on her."

"We can also set our log pose." Keigo said standing up, his voice slightly broken from all his wailing. "We need to be on land for it to set." He added.

"What about the big thing under the water?" Rukia questioned walking up the stairs.

"Eh? If it comes to it we'll deal with it." Ichigo shrugged as they set the sail's to a slow pace and sailed over to the dock keeping a watchful eye on the tremors below the water. When they pulled up Chad set the anchor before they stepped off the ship tying the stern and the bow to the dock.

"Land!" Tatsuki cried jumping to the ground and hugging it for all she was worth, it would seem that her and Keigo were the most affected by the high speed down hill canal they had just been on.

"Come on Tatsuki, it wasn't that bad." Orihime told her.

"Wasn't that bad! We almost died!" Tatsuki cried.

"Had it all under control." Ichigo told her as he and Chad walked past and looked around the small area of land that was attached to the large mountain they had just sailed down. "But man, that sure was a hell of a ride. Like a roller-coaster or something."

"Right, under control the entire time." Keigo said in a daze, his legs physically trembling for the eye to see. "Mizuiro is probably watching and laughing at us right now..."

"Keigo finally snapped." Uryu said.

"No change there." Ichigo said as three of them walked over to where someone had made a table with chairs out of logs and sat down. "How long do we have to wait for this log pose to set anyway?" He questioned.

"Every island differs." A deep voice said making them all turn wide eyed back to the ship to see a black cat sitting on the rail making Ichigo's eye twitch, Orihime's shocked expression turned into a wide grin. Chad simply gave a small smile at the familiar sight while Uryu pushed his glasses up and Rukia gave a grin knowing her assumption had been right. Tatsuki and Keigo however were still looking for where the voice came from.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Ichigo called out.

"That hurts Ichigo." The cat spoke making Keigo yell in surprise as Tatsuki stared at the cat with wide eyes, shocked.

"Ahh! A talking cat!" Keigo cried making Yoruichi sigh in annoyance as she looked over to Keigo who was pointing at her while trembling.

"It's always the males that freak out the most." She said as she jumped down to the shore and stretched out with a yawn showing she had probably been asleep since they had left Loguetown.

"I'll admit, it still kinda freaks me out a bit." Chad admitted making Ichigo chuckle before turning back to Yoruichi only to grin as he watched as the cat was picked up in Orihime's arms and quickly pulled to the girls large chest, he could see the panic evident on Yoruichi's face as her small form was crushed in Orihime's loving grip.

"Haha! I missed you so much Yoruichi! I haven't seen you in forever! What have you been up too!? Are you eating properly!? How come you're here!? Are you becoming a pirate with us!?" She asked a hundred questions more as Yoruichi struggled to breath in her grip as Orihime pressed her cheek and nuzzled the feline with her face.

"That's the Yoruichi that Orihime spoke of?" Tatsuki questioned with wide eyes. "The one who taught her how to use her powers?"

"The one in the same." Rukia smiled.

"She's a cat!?" She shouted in surprise. "How the hell does a cat know something like that!? Why didn't Orihime tell me she was a cat!?"

"You'll find out soon enough." Rukia told her. "Come on, I'll introduce you to her." Tatsuki simply nodded as she was lead up to Orihime and Yoruichi who had just managed to get out of Orihime's hug and was holding a paw up to her chest as she caught her breath.

"It's... it's nice to see you to Orihime." Yoruichi huffed out. _"Damn these kids, they're making me sound like an old lady __or__ something."_ Yoruichi mumbled to herself in her thoughts.

"Lady Yoruichi." Rukia smiled making the cat look up with a questioning look in her golden eyes before she spotted Rukia and had to grin.

"Ah! Someone with the proper respect!" She laughed. "Unlike some brats!" She shouted at Ichigo who simply waved her accusation off like it was nothing as he continued his conversation with Chad and Uryu. "But please, call me Yoruichi we're not in the Soul Society any more." Rukia simply nodded and smiled.

"This is Tatsuki, you've yet to meet." Rukia informed her.

"I've heard a lot about you." Yoruichi said sitting up. "Orihime has spoken highly of you many times." Tatsuki looked over at Orihime who smiled happily as she rubbed the back of her head.

"I've heard some things about you too." Tatsuki told her. "Orihime said you were the one who taught her how to use her powers."

"I simply helped Chad and Orihime to bring their powers to the surface." Yoruichi explained to her. "I'm actually here to help you and..." She glanced over to see Keigo hiding behind a rock pointing at her mumbling about devil cats, mountain oceans and how he was going insane. "That one, bring your powers to the surface. I'm sure you got the note from Kisuke that was in the crate?"

"Seriously!?" Tatsuki said with wide eyes and Yoruichi nodded.

"It'll be hard since you've never accessed spiritual powers without the help of Kisuke's devices but you both have higher reiatsu levels then a normal human." She explained as she saw Tatsuki grin. "So, we should be able to pull something out of you." She grinned.

"Awesome." Tatsuki smiled as Orihime ran over and hugged her sharing the martial artist's excitement.

"Now if you would excuse me for a moment, I have a student to terrorise." Yoruichi said with a demonic grin making Rukia chuckle as Yoruichi stood up and began to walk over to Ichigo and jumped up on the table. Everyone watched the two exchange a few words only for IChigo to say something which seemed to anger Yoruichi before she attacked, claws out scratching at Ichigo's face making him shout out in surprise as he fell back from his seat and hit the ground with a loud thud. Yoruichi still attached to his face.

"Get off of me you crazy woman!" Ichigo shouted making Yoruichi laugh as she jumped off him and sat beside him.

"Good to see you Ichigo." She smiled as he glared at her from where he was laying, numerous cat scratches on his face. He opened his mouth to say something before another tremor rocked the mountain making everyone turn back to the water only to stare with wide eyes as the saw an enormous shadow approaching the water's surface. When the water broke and the massive creature began to rise up out of the water everyone was shocked to see the size of it. It was bigger then a Menos Grande and it was a god damn whale!

"That's it!" Keigo shouted. "None of this is real and it's just one messed up dream!" Keigo continued to yell. "There is no way there is a whale that big! I can deal with stupid mountains and talking cats but that!? No way in hell!"

"Shut up Moron." Tatsuki told him.

"Someone's coming down the mountain!" Orihime shouted in shock as she heard shouting coming from up above and saw a ship coming down. "They'll crash into the whale!" She cried as everyone looked at the ship before the whale let out an ear shattering wail that made them all cover their ears as the area filled with nothing but the intense noise.

"Ichigo! Uryu! Distract the whale!" Rukia called out making the two turn to her as she unsheathed her sword.

"What's the plan?" Orihime questioned as Uryu and Ichigo were already on the move, Ichigo having drawn his short Zanpakuto as Uryu had manifested his Quincy bow and were going about distracting the whale. Orihime wasn't too worried for the safety of the whale because if they did to much damage she could patch the whale up.

"Just watch." Rukia said raising her sword forward before turning it counter-clockwise. "Dance Sode no Shirayuki!" She called out as the blade, hilt, and tsuba turned completely white. The tsuba became a hollow snowflake-like circle, while a white ribbon formed from the pommel. "Tsugi no mai." Rukia called out as she punctured the ground with her blade of ice, a large circle of ice forming around her before she punctured the ice four more times with her Zanpakuto in a semi circle before taking a battle stance as the ice circle around her glowed as ice particles started to rise around her building at the tip of her Zanpakuto's blade.

"Hakuren!" The ice particles were released in a powerful avalanche of cold air. Once the attack hit the water the entire width froze almost instantly all the way up to the exit of the canal and a stopping just as the accent started. "Chad! Make a path so the current takes the ship through!"

"Right!" Chad nodded his arm morphing into his Brazo Derecha de Gigante as he ran towards the ice, once he had reached it he could hear the screams of panic from those on the ship rushing towards them. Raising his hand up, his shoulder splitting as he gathered the needed Reiatsu. "El Directo!" He shouted as the massive blast crashed through the ice and curving at the end with much concentration from the fullbring user. Using his bringer light he leapt to the shoreline and looked back to see the current moving quickly to the entrance of the ice canal and the ship already changing it's course to follow the current through.

As the ship entered the ice made canal way a large wail from the massive beast was heard and everyone looked up to see Ichigo and Uryu disappearing and reappearing around it, slashes could be seen forming across the whale's head where already a number of large deep scars had been. The beast was growing frustrated and didn't know how to attack the two that were moving so quickly around it. Letting out another loud wail it submerged below the water, seemingly disappearing beneath the deep blue.

"Yay! Team work!" Orihime cheered happily and before she knew it an arm was wrapped around her back as she was dipped backwards in the arm of a blonde stranger who was offering her a red rose.

"My love! I knew we'd meet again!" Sanji cried "Please, allow me to give you this rose, it holds no trace of the beauty that you behold but alas it's all I have to give!" He continued in his over the top dramatics only for Orihime to tilt her head to the side as she stared up at him.

"Hey! Sanji! No abandoning ship! I have to be the first to get on the land! I'm the captain!" Luffy shouted as Zoro and Usopp went about tying the ropes to the dock near the Umi no Tamashi, Luffy running across the ground to attack Sanji while Nami simply sighed in annoyance from her position on deck.

"Get your damn hands off of Orihime!" Tatsuki shouted kicking Sanji in the side sending the blonde flying across the ground, face first in the dirt feet up in the air.

"Hey look Tatsuki, a pretty flower." Orihime smiled showing Tatsuki the rose before Tatsuki snatched it from her hand and proceeded to stomp it into the dirt. "Ah! Tatsuki!" She cried flailing her arms up and down.

"Don't take things from strangers! How many times do I have to tell you that!" Tatsuki shouted.

"So uh... nice weather we're having." Rukia chuckled as she casually greeted the new comers with an awkward smile.


	4. Chapter 4

"You guys are the Karakura pirates!" Luffy shouted in excitement as the two pirate crews stood across form one another, Ichigo scratching at the back of his head not knowing who these people were, his hat tilting forward slightly as Yoruichi sat on his shoulder so she could talk to him without gaining the attention of the other crew she didn't know how they would react to a talking cat.

"I've heard of pirate's with birds on their shoulders... but cats?" Usopp questioned as he crossed his arms gaining a thoughtful look as he looked at Ichigo and Yoruichi. "Never."

"Our captain's a little odd." Rukia chuckled making Ichigo glare at her from over the top of Tatsuki and Keigo who were to his right only getting a slight smirk back from the petite Soul Reaper.

"You have no idea." Nami stated. "We have to put up with this doofus as our captain." She said thrusting a thumb at Luffy... or the spot that Luffy had been standing as he was now standing in front of Ichigo, very much to close to the Soul Reaper's personal bubble. The straw hat wearing captain was looking at Ichigo with curiosity as Ichigo took a step back.

"You're the Captain?" Luffy questioned. "I thought she was." He continued as he pointed at Orihime who was happily waving to the other crew wanting to introduce herself to them hopefully gaining new friends in the process of doing so. Sanji was standing across from her, hearts in his eyes wanting to rush over and hug the large breasted beauty however Zoro was holding him back from doing just that.

Tatsuki was glaring at the blonde man while Keigo laughed awkwardly not knowing what to do in the current situation, he however was keeping an eye on the Log-pose. Chad along with Uryu were just remaining silent.

A loud wail echoed as the massive form of the whale surfaced again making everyone turn to see the massive animal breach the surface making water spray in each and every direction as waves crashed against the shore of the small island they were standing on.

"Oh no!" Orihime cried rushing towards the shore. "You hurt him!" She shouted back to Ichigo and Uryu who simply looked away from the angry pout that she was giving them as she ran. She reached the shore as the whale let out another cry. "Hi there Mr Whale!" She called out to him waving her hand in front of the massive eye that was larger then the Umi no Tamashi. "I'm sorry my friends were being rough with you earlier, they just needed to distract you so that we could help that other ship, they were going to crash into you otherwise."

"Since when was Orihime a whale whisperer? Because it looks like that whale is actually paying attention to her." Ichigo said aloud as everyone stared at her off in the distance speaking to the whale.

"Idiot, deal with this and I'll deal with her." Tatsuki huffed before sending a glare at Sanji and walking over to the jabbering Orihime who was going on about how it wasn't nice to block the entrance to the Grand Line like the whale had been doing.

"I'm Luffy!" The straw hat wearing captain shouted with a grin making Ichigo turn back to Luffy. "And this is my crew! You really saved us back there!" He laughed.

"It was my pleasure." Rukia smiled at him. "It was truly nothing to worry about."

"How did you freeze the water like that?" Nami questioned.

"Ah well... you see..." Rukia started not sure if she should explain her powers to the young crew of pirates.

"You ate a devil fruit too didn't you?!" Luffy laughed.

"_Devil Fruit?" _Ichigo thought to himself.

"I ate the Gum Gum fruit! And now I'm made of rubber!" He laughed.

"Like I'd believe that." Ichigo snorted before turning to Keigo missing Luffy pull his cheek at a massive angle shocking everyone apart from Keigo and Ichigo as they were looking at the Log-pose. "We ready yet?"

"Ah no, the Log-pose hasn't set yet." Keigo told him showing Ichigo the odd compass within the box, the others stunned as they stared at Luffy pulling his mouth to his knees, Yoruichi looking off Ichigo's shoulder at the still spinning dial.

"What's that thing?" Nami questioned peering into the box wandering if it was valuable.

"Hey hands off!" Keigo shouted closing the box shut and stuffing it into his pocket knowing just how valuable the Log-pose was since reading up on Kisuke's helpful books. "No touchy! Get your own Log-pose."

"Hey! Don't speak to Nami that way ya jerk! Don't you have any manners with beautiful woman!" Sanji shouted gripping Keigo by the front of his shirt and pulled him forward before Ichigo hand gripped Sanji's arm making the blonde turn to the orange haired captain only to pale at the intense glare he was giving him, he hadn't even seen Zeff give him that type of glare before. It wasn't that of a simple pirate nor that of pissed off Captain, it was the glare of a man who had seen the edge of death countless times and lived through it all.

"Let my navigator go." Ichigo's cold tone made everyone look over to them, Zoro's hand twitching above above his swords Rukia narrowing her eyes slightly at the green haired swordsman as her left leg slid back slightly and she gripped her own blade's handle.

"Everyone just calm down." Uryu spoke up with a huff as he walked between the two crews. "Ichigo let go of him, now is not the time. We've got to get the Log-pose set and if we get into a fight it's at risk of being broken. If that happens we're stuck here with no idea where to go next." Ichigo simply sighed and let go of Sanji's arm, Sanji letting go of Keigo who breathed in relief the tension in the air settling somewhat.

"Yeah, if we break it who knows how long it'd be before we'd be killing each other over starvation on the ocean." Keigo nodded.

"About four months." Rukia told him.

"How'd you come up with that estimate exactly?" Ichigo questioned her.

"We've got that much food on the ship." Rukia explained with a grin since she herself had done the majority of the shopping with Tatsuki and Orihime she knew how much they had.

"You're kidding me!?" Zoro shouted as Luffy's mouth watered as he turned to the Umi no Tamashi looking at it as if the whole thing was just a giant piece of meat.

"So is anyone going to explain to me what this Log-pose is?" Nami questioned, her irritation growing at being left out of something that from what she could gather, seemed damn important! Keigo simply stared at her.

"You don't know?" He questioned. "You're on the Grandline and you don't know what a Log-pose is!?" He shouted making Ichigo groan as he walked over and hit Keigo atop the head sending him to the ground, letting go of the box in his hand Ichigo caught it mid-fall before flicking it open and showing it to Nami, Keigo passed out on the ground.

"From what I can gather from that idiot and what ever comes out of his mouth is that this thing is the only way to navigate through the Grandline, without one you're practically going to be going in circles. Normal compass's don't work here." Nami's eyes widened as she reached into her pocket and puled out her own compass only to see it spinning wildly around. "You came here not knowing anything about the Grandline?" Ichigo questioned, sure they weren't much better but Kisuke had left them tons of information that he had gathered since being here.

"I thought it was over when we were going to hit that whale, now it's truly over. We can't sail if we don't know where we're going." Nami said in a dazed state making Ichigo raise an eyebrow at Yoruichi who simply shrugged as she continued to sit on his shoulder.

"Well... uh good luck." Ichigo said snapping the case of the Log-pose shut only to sweat drop as he looked over at Orihime to see her happily healing the giant whale who seemed to be smiling. Tatsuki shaking her head as she stood by Orihime who had her hands raised up for her healing shield as she continued to speak with the giant whale. _"__That girl, I'll never understand her."_ Ichigo thought with a smile before turning to Keigo who was still unconscious.

"So all we have to do is wait?" Chad questioned making Ichigo shrug his shoulders as he walked away with the larger man to sit at the table once more. Uryu grabbed a spy glass and went to the edge of the shore and looked out over the horizon. Rukia walked over to where Tatsuki and Orihime were still dealing with the unusually large whale while Keigo was still passed out at the feet of the Straw Hat crew.

"So we need a Log-pose huh?" Zoro questioned as he sat on the ground, Nami simply nodding her head dumbly as she fell to her knees defeated.

"I wonder how much meat they have." Luffy said still staring at the boat having missed everything that they had been talking about.

"Now is not the time to worry about meat!" Usopp cried. "We've got a crisis on our hands Luffy!" He shouted.

"Huh? What kind of crisis? I didn't hear anything about it." Luffy told them turning his head to look at them.

"That's because you've been in your own little dream world since you heard about all their food!" Sanji shouted gripping his wrist where Ichigo had gripped him, pulling up his sleeve he could feel the hand grip on his arm still. Glancing over to see the orange haired captain arguing with the cat that was now sitting on his shoulder. _"How can a man like that have such a deadly aura around him?"_ He questioned. _"__He's not your average pirate with a rag tag crew like we are."_ He mused.

"We're doomed, we haven't even started yet and we've almost died once and now we can't go anywhere!" Nami wailed.

"What! Why can't we go!" Luffy shouted.

"Does anybody else notice that the whales scars are healing?" Zoro questioned looking over to where the three woman of the other crew were. The straw hat crew turned to the whale to see the last of the scars on the Whale's forehead disappear before Orihime leaned forward and patted the whale on the head.

"Is she a doctor?" Luffy questioned.

"No doctor can heal something that quickly Luffy!" Both Nami and Usopp shouted at him.

"A mystery doctor then." Both teens face palmed as Luffy came to the conclusion he did when he didn't understand anything, it had to be a mystery. "Maybe she'll join our crew! We need a doctor! Maybe she can sing as well, that'd be awesome! We'd get a doctor and a musician all in one!" He cheered.

"I agree with Luffy!" Sanji spoke up making everyone turn to him muttering 'that's a first' making him glare at them. He cleared his throat as he began his explanation of why they needed the gorgeous woman on board their ship. "She needs to join our crew, we need a doctor!" He exclaimed.

"Love sick idiot." Zoro huffed.

"What'd you call me!?" Sanji shouted at him making the two heatedly glare at one another.

"She can't join our crew anyway." Usopp said. "She's with the others and by the way they act they've been friends for a while." He mused nodding his head at his own thought. "What we need is a Log-pose, Nami's a thief, she could probably steal theirs."

"No!" Luffy shouted surprising everyone. "They saved us, we're not going to steal from them." He huffed.

"Maybe we could follow them to the next island and see about getting a Log-pose of our own?" Sanji suggested, although his intentions were completely hidden since he wanted to get to know the ladies of the Karakura crew, sure he had Nami but the girls of the other crew were something to behold.

* * *

"So, what's the plan of action Ichigo?" Yoruichi questioned sitting on the table, both Chad and Ichigo sitting either side of the table so that she was sitting between the two of her former students. Ah she could remember the days of their youth when she could kick their asses, now it'd be a hard thing to beat just Chad, she doubted she'd ever beat Ichigo in a fight of swords again. The only thing she had over Ichigo now was her innate ability to tease him and her speed was just above his own.

"Sail away from here and that weird whale and other crew as fast as our ship can go." Ichigo told her. "Because quite frankly they're freaking me out."

"The whale or the crew?" Chad questioned.

"Both. Plus that blonde guy gets on my nerves." He mumbled.

"Why because he's got a crush on Orihime?" Yoruichi teased.

"That's got nothing to do with it." Ichigo huffed in annoyance making Yoruichi chuckle lightly. "Why are you even here Yoruichi?"

"I told you." She said. "To train Tatsuki and Keigo in bringing their spiritual powers to the surface." She explained making Ichigo raise an eyebrow at her making her sigh in annoyance. "Fine, last thing I remember before waking up on your ship is sleeping at the shop in Loguetown, next thing I know Kisuke stuffs me into a sack and throws me aboard, I found it comfortable and I knew Kisuke's not an idiot so I went back to sleep." She explained making the two sweat drop slightly. "When I got out, there was a note asking to take care of Tatsuki and Keigo with helping develop their own powers." She told him before Ichigo burst into laughter holding his sides as he pointed at the black cat tears of laughter in his eyes. Yoruichi growled beneath her breath before noticing Tatsuki walking up to them with a look of shock on her face. "Tatsuki?" She questioned.

"So um... I don't know a lot about whales but I'm pretty sure they don't have doors on them. Right?" She questioned making everyone stare at her before turning and looking to the whale to see a large door to it's side open and a set of islands floating out of the side.

"What the..." Ichigo said staring at it.

"Oh man that's so awesome!" Luffy shouted running to the shoreline arms pumping at the air in excitement where Orihime and Rukia were staring off at the ship that had three people aboard it. Two of the people a man and a woman were tied to one of the trees on the floating island. The doors on the side of the whale began to close as the island ships began to appraoch.

"Who're they?" Zoro questioned standing beside Luffy hand on his sword.

"Some old geezer and..." Luffy tried to spot anything about the other two but couldn't make anything out. "Some others." Zoro simply sighed.

"Three people, an old man, a woman and another man. It would seem that the old man had captured the other two." Uryu said closing his eyeglass making Zoro look at him from the corner of his eyes as Uryu pushed his glasses up. "I thought you'd like to know." Zoro nodded his head in thanks to the Quincy.

"Let's meet them at the dock!" Luffy cheered grabbing Usopp and running over to where the two ships were.

"What if they're dangerous!" Usopp cried being dragged along without any hesitation by his fearless captain.

"This day just keeps getting weirder and weirder." Ichigo sighed. "I can't wait to go to sleep." He mumbled.

"Ichigo! Let's go meet the old guy!" Orihime cheered racing across the shore line towards the docks making Ichigo glance at her running, Tatsuki and Rukia trying to keep up with the buxom beauty however Sanji had already picked Orihime up in his arms and was carrying her across the distance to the docks in great strides making the martial artist speed grow as she put on the hunt for the blonde cook.

"Can't we just leave." Ichigo groaned face planting the table. "Who cares about an old guy that... came out of a whale." He mumbled before someone sat down next to him. He rolled his head to the side to see Nami sitting there with a smile on her face looking down at him, he knew that face all to well, it was the face Yuzu gave whenever she wanted to go shopping and needed money... "What do you want?" He questioned making Nami's smile falter slightly before she regained it.

"Well I just wanted to thank you for saving our ship earlier." She told him.

"Nami what the hell are you doing!?" Zoro shouted not sure if he should save Sanji from the hunting martial artist, go after Luffy and Usopp or stop Nami from doing what ever it was she was doing! "Gah! God damn it Luffy!" He shouted running after his captain, Nami and Sanji could wait Luffy needed to be dealt with immediately.

"It's not a problem." Ichigo told her.

"We should do something about Keigo." Chad said making Ichigo sit up and look over his shoulder to where Keigo was only to raise an eyebrow as it seemed that everyone who had crossed the beach in the last five minutes had run over him his leg was up in the air twitching along with an arm. While Ichigo and Chad were looking at the downed Keigo Nami eyed the box that held the Log-Pose and reached out for it, her natural thief instincts kicking in. As she gripped the box and she grinned before a scratch appeared on the back of her hand before looking at the Black Cat sitting there with narrowed eyes.

"_That's one freakishly fast cat!"_ Nami screamed in her mind, she gave an awkward wave and chuckle as she held the bleeding scratch on her hand. Yoruichi simply smirked before her tail curled around the box and pulled it across the table away from the girl. _"It knew exactly what I was doing!"_

"So yeah what did you want again?" Ichigo questioned as Chad rose from the table to go pick up the twitching Keigo. Yoruichi smirked before Nami sighed and hung her head.

"I was wandering if you and your crew would be nice enough to let us follow you to the next island since we don't have a Log-pose." She told him making Ichigo raise an eyebrow at her before turning to Yoruichi.

"What do you think Yoruichi?" Ichigo questioned.

"_He's seriously asking the cat?"_ Nami questioned.

"I don't see why not." Yoruichi remarked making Nami squeal in fright making Yoruichi smirk and Ichigo to glance at the squealing girl with an annoyed look.

* * *

"Hey old guy!" Luffy and Orihime waved off to the man coming towards the docks. He simply looked back at them not saying anything before he reached the docks and tied the boat up before walking along, pulling the two tied up people with him.

"New people at my light house?" The old man questioned dragging his captured people along. "How long have I been in Laboon?" He questioned raising a hand up to his forehead and looking up to the sky. "Not more then a couple of days I'd say. Nice little get away from all this I suppose." He sighed as he reached the end of the dock where the others were waiting for him. "New candidates for the Grandline I suppose, and you've brought two ships with you." He mused as he looked behind him at the two ships.

"Actually sir one's our ship and the other's theirs." Orihime explained with a smile. "You called the whale, Laboon. Is that his name?" She questioned.

"Indeed it is." He nodded looking over to the whale only to stop and see that all the scars atop of the whale's head were gone. "Laboon, your scars!" He shouted.

"Yeah, my friends kind of roughed him up a little bit." Orihime told the man in an apologetic tone. "I told him that I'd help him and asked if he wanted his old scars healed too. It seemed like he wanted them healed so I did it for him and asked him if he'd be so kind as to not damage his head on purpose like he had been doing." Orihime pointed out.

"And he listened to you?" The man asked moving towards Orihime with wide eyes.

"I hope so." Orihime told him. "I'd be sad if he was hurting himself."

"Ah my love! You can even sway the hearts of animals with your beauty!" Sanji cried making Orihime turn back and simply smile at him... causing him to faint. Tatsuki grit her teeth wanting to smack the blondes teeth in but held her temper as she remained by Orihime, the guy was almost as bad as Chizuru.

"Hey! Old guy is that whale yours!?" Luffy asked in excitement.

"No, we're just old friends." He explained before turning back to Orihime and bowed to her. "You have my most sincere thanks for helping out an old man's friend."

"It's no problem really." Orihime smiled. "I was happy to help, I'm Karakura's crew healer after all!"

"So you are a doctor!" Luffy laughed.

"Well, not certified." Orihime said tapping her chin with a finger. "Uryu is though, he worked part time in a hospital when he wasn't working at his fashion agency." She told them making everyone turn to the Quincy who was seemingly apologising to the whale for the earlier confusion. Noting everyone's gaze on him he turned and looked over to them before giving a simple wave which they returned.

"Your ship's got two doctors?" Usopp questioned. "Just how badly do you guys get into trouble?"

"Knowing our Captain it's going to be a lot." Rukia sighed along side Tatsuki who was thinking that same exact thing.

"You haven't been a crew for long then?" Usopp asked.

"Nope, just today."

"And you came to the Grandline!" Usopp shouted.

"Well we've got a really strong crew!" Orihime told them in excitement. "We can handle anything!"

"So you and that guy are the doctors, that's your captain..." Luffy said gesturing to Ichigo. "That other guy is your navigator, what about your cook? You've got to have a cook! You can't have food without a cook!" Luffy shouted.

"I'm the ship's cook too." Orihime told them with a smile.

"A doctor and a cook!" Luffy shouted. "You're so awesome! Join my crew! You'll be the most awesomeness person aboard!" He shouted.

"I'm sorry." Orihime bowed. "But I'm on an adventure with my friends. I can't join your crew." She apologised.

"Well... I guess that's alright, since you're in another crew." Luffy told her. "But if you ever want to join let me know!" He grinned at her and she nodded eagerly. "So what about the rest of your crew."

"Hmm?"

"Their potions, do you guys have a musician yet?" He asked eagerly. "We don't but I'm working on it!" He laughed.

"Well Chad plays the guitar." Tatsuki said. "He's the big guy over there with Ichigo and your crew member." Tatsuki pointed him out. "So I guess you can say he's a musician." Luffy's eyes were bug eyed as he chewed on his vest.

"You guys are so cool! You have like everything! Food an awesome crew! All of you can join my crew! We'll join our ship's together and have a massive adventure!" Tatsuki and Rukia sweat dropped and the proposition as Luffy, Usopp and Orihime were already going about making plans for the new ship by drawing it in the sand. Usopp wanting to use the Merry for the base while simply taking parts from the Umi no Tamashi while Orihime was the other way around while Luffy drew a badly drawn squid monster in the sand.

"Haha, the young always eager to start their adventures."

"I'd have to agree with you." Rukia smiled making the old man turn back to her.

"You don't look that old little Missy."

"_You'd be surprised youngster."_ Rukia chuckled to herself. "How rude of me, we haven't even introduced ourselves."

"Ah, my manners are just as bad." He laughed. "The name's Crocus overseer of the lighthouses here." He introduced himself. "These pair of rag tag bandits are monster who were hunting Laboon to feed their town. Hunting a poor little whale for food." He huffed gesturing to the two tied up people who were watching them intently.

"Well it's nice to meet you Crocus, my name is Rukia Kuchiki and this is Tatsuki Arisawa, part of the Karakura Pirate Crew." She informed them.

"Which of these ship's be yours then?" He questioned.

"The larger one." She informed him. "The Umi no Tamashi."

"Good sturdy ship, strong name." Crocus smiled. "You'll do well out here and if you've got a strong crew I don't doubt you'll make it far." He continued before noticing the green haired swordsman walking up to them, Zoro having slowed his pace to a gentle walk at seeing how Luffy wasn't causing any problems.

"What happened to the idiot?" Zoro questioned motioning to Sanji who was still unconscious on the ground.

"Orihime smiled at the damn pervert." Tatsuki told him. "Keep him away from her or I'll cut it off, got it?" She told him.

"I'll give him fair warning." Zoro told her paling slightly. "And what is with these two?" He asked motioning to the two tied up. "They do something stupid?"

"Tried to kill the whale." Rukia informed him. "Crocus here was just telling us about it."

"We only did what we had to!" The woman shouted at them. "Our village is starving, we barely have any food."

"Then fish or something, don't go whaling." Tatsuki told her. "Have some heart."

"You don't know anything." The man said who had two nines on his face and was wearing a crown. "Don't associate yourself with them Miss Wednesday, they are clearly imbeciles." He huffed sticking his nose up at them.

"I would have to agree Mr Nine." The blue haired woman agreed sticking her nose up in the air along side her partner. "Complete imbeciles."

"Orihime, let's go see if the Log-pose has set, I'm sure Ichigo's wanting to set sail already." She told the busty auburn haired beauty who looked up at her friend and smiled before getting to her feet dusting her skirt off slightly. Luffy looked up seeing the familar sight of Orihime's panties and tilted his head before his eyes widen.

"That's right!" Luffy shouted jumping to his feet. "Here! We found this before leaving Loguetown!" He laughed holding out a scrap of paper to Orihime who took the offered page and looked at it before her eyes widened and a smile came to her face.

"What is it?" Tatsuki questioned.

"Tatsuki look! I'm wanted!" She cheered turning the page around only for a picture of Orihime standing at the stern of the Umi no Tamashi with a clear shot at her panties in view as she laughed. At the top of the wanted poster was Unknown Flasher. Under the picture in large letters was WANTED ALIVE 10,000 Beri. Tatsuki and Rukia's jaw dropped as they stared at the picture wandering who the hell took it, Tatsuki swore if she ever found out she'd kill them.

"Ten thousand's high right!?" Orihime questioned excitedly.

"Uh well Luffy has Thirty Million on his head." Usopp said. "But he's defeated a lot of high ranking pirates and Marine Officers so don't feel bad about it." Usopp told her. "See, even I'm in there." He said pulling out the poster that showed the back of his head. "Yep, I'm pretty awesome." He said taking a pose.

"Wow Luffy! You're bounty's so high!" Orihime exclaimed making Luffy grin at her causing Usopp to deflate since he had been ignored. "Ah! We should all get wanted!" She cheered happily before Tatsuki hit her atop the head making her whine. "Tatsuki that hurt!" She pouted at her friend.

"Orihime, I'm sure that one day we'll all have bounty's but we're not going to go looking for them. Ok?" She questioned making Orihime nod.

"_She's just like our captain."_ Usopp and Zoro thought in unison staring at Orihime.

"Hey, can I keep this?" Orihime questioned holding the piece of paper closer to her chest.

"Sure!" Luffy grinned.

"Thank you." She told him. "Come on Tatsuki, I want to show the others!" She said excitedly running towards where Ichigo would be. Tatsuki sighed but ran after her. Rukia simply chuckled as she began to walk with Crocus and Zoro, the elderly man leading his captured hunters. Usopp and Luffy remained behind with the unconscious Sanji still drawing in the sand.

* * *

"So let me get this straight." Ichigo sighed gripping the bridge of his nose, he had just dealt with Orihime's oh so fascinating wanted poster which he didn't even know if she knew that she was flashing her underwear. She had quickly run off to tell Uryu and Laboon about it. He was now dealing with the fact that the old man had tied up two people who were only hunting, he couldn't say that hunting a whale was a good thing but an entire town was in danger of starvation if he understood the story correctly. "You tied them up simply because they tried to eat the whale."

"That's right." Crocus told him. "They've tried it before too, sent them packing each and every time." He stated proudly before Ichigo rose up drew his short Zanpakuto making the two prisoners pale and cry before the ropes fell from around them.

"Waste of rope." He mumbled as he sheathed his Zanpakuto Miss Wednesday and Mr Nine falling to their knees hugging one another wailing all the while, they had been sure the orange haired pirate captain was going to kill them. He had looked so serious.

"Hey! You can't do that!" Crocus shouted at him before being met with a glare that shocked the elderly man to the core before it softened slightly.

"Look Gramps, you can't go tying people up because they were hunting your whale. You just need to make sure they don't do it again and kick their asses to the curb." He stated making Crocus grumble under his breath.

"And how do you expect for an old man like myself to do that huh?" He questioned before Ichigo turned back and gave his scariest look that made both Miss Wednesday and Mr Nine scream in terror at the sight of it.

"Leave. The Whale. Alone. Got it?" He glared pushing his Zanpakuto up with his thumb to push his point across, the blade shining in the light of the sun.

"We won't ever attack the whale again! Just don't kill us!" They cried in unison hugging one another.

"Like that Gramps." Ichigo told him turning back to Crocus.

"I think he wet himself." Chad said looking at Mr Nine.

"Nah, Ichigo's not that scary." Rukia smirked as Zoro stared at Ichigo in surprise, for him to make the two to commit to something from just a glare, and he didn't doubt that the two would never come back here. Fear was a big thing, especially for one's life.

"Where is it!?" Mr Nine cried searching all his pockets inside and outside of his jacket. "I had it in the whale! We need to get out of here Miss Wednesday!"

"Then where is it!?" She cried.

"Oh no! I think I dropped it!"

"Where!?"

"Inside the whale." He paled as they both looked to the whale then back to Ichigo. "Not good..." He mumbled. "How are we suppose to get home if we don't have the Log-pose!? We're stranded here!" He cried.

"It's done!" Keigo cried making everyone turn to look at him making him chuckle lightly before clearing his throat. "The Log-pose has been set." He said showing them.

"You'll take us with you right!?" Nami shouted at Ichigo making Rukia, Zoro and Tatsuki raise eyebrows at her, not knowing of the request she had made. Ichigo groaned as everyone started to talk to him at one time, all wanting to know what was going on, if they were taking the other crew with them, if they were leaving straight away. To Ichigo it was getting on his nerves and since everyone was talking and trying to talk over one another it was only getting louder and louder.

"SHUT UP!" He roared silencing the entire beach, Luffy and Usopp looking over to them from one side of the beach where they were burying Sanji with sand while Orihime and Uryu looked from the other side. "Old man, you're familiar with the Grandline, you got a spare Log-pose lying around?" He questioned.

"Sure do." Crocus told them. "It's set and ready to go too."

"Mind giving it to the other crew?" Crocus thought it over for a moment, they had helped him with Laboon but had freed the hunters however had dealt with them too. Reaching into his pocket he pulled it out.

"I suppose I could, for everything you've done here today." He smiled before going to hand the Log-pose over to grinning Nami however as untimely as Luffy could be, he couldn't of picked a worse time to fling himself, Usopp and Sanji over from the other side of the beach. The three pirates all crashed into Crocus the Log-pose falling from his hand. To Ichigo everything happened in slow motion he could feel his peaceful days of sailing fading away as the Log-pose smashed into itty bitty pieces on the hard ground. Nami was speechless as she stared at the ruined Log-pose.

"Huh? What'd we hit?" Luffy questioned only to be attacked by Nami, Zoro trying to hold her off.

"Um... excuse me Mr scary Captain sir..." Miss Wednesday started making Ichigo turn back to her with a blank expression on his face. "I couldn't help but notice that your Log-pose is directed at Whiskey Peak and we were just wondering if we might be able to catch a ride with you..." She started not knowing how to act to the stunned Ichigo. Ichigo simply turned and began to walk towards the Umi no Tamashi. "Is that a yes?" She questioned timidly.

"Uh... Ichigo?" Keigo questioned. "You uh... doing ok over there?" Ichigo simply ignored him as he continued to walk away.

"We should probably get aboard before he sails off without us." Tatsuki said. "Orihime! Uryu! Let's go! We're leaving!"

"But I haven't said my goodbyes yet!" Orihime called back.

"You'll get left behind if you don't hurry up!" Tatsuki shouted rushing with Chad, Keigo and Rukia over to the ships.

"Am I the only one enjoying Ichigo's torment right now?" Yoruichi questioned with a grin making all the unknown members of the group turn and stare at the cat with wide eyes.

"AH! A TALKING CAT!"

"Luffy! We're setting sail! We have to follow them otherwise we won't know where the hell we're going! We can pick up a Log-pose at the next island!" Nami told the always happy captain.

"Right! Bye old geezer!" Luffy grinned as he ran towards the ship carrying the still unconscious Sanji while the rest of his crew followed.

"So uh... a lift maybe?" Miss Wednesday questioned hoping anyone would hear her.

"Sure. Why not, it'll annoy Ichigo some more." Yoruichi chuckled Miss Wednesday and Mr Nine recoiling from the talking cat as it landed on the ground near their feet before walking off towards the ships. "Ah, this is going to be a fun trip." She chuckled once more as the two odd balls followed after her.

"Be safe and enjoy yourselves!" Crocus called out as the ships dropped their sails and began to drift from the port. "That man, he has strength in those eyes of his." Crocus mused as he watched the ships sail from the dock. "I don doubt both crews will have grand adventures out there. We'll be hearing more about them soon enough Laboon." Crocus smiled as Laboon let out a happy sound in response. The two ship's disappearing into the afternoon sky.


	5. Chapter 5

"_Just ignore them, __it's like they're not even there__."_ Ichigo thought to himself as he stood at the wheel, Keigo had left him the Log-pose so he knew if they were heading in the right direction. It was just coming on dark, the other crew had pulled up beside them calling out to see if they should stop for the night, Ichigo was flatly ignoring them wishing he had headphones as the two ship's sailed side by side. Luffy constantly trying to get his attention. Since leaving the light house island he had began to calm himself down, sailing was almost enjoyable.

"Hey!" Luffy shouted again, Ichigo's eyebrow twitching. "I don't think he can hear us. HEY!" Luffy shouted louder waving his arms back at and forth.

"What could you possibly want from me!?" Ichigo shouted back, turning to face the other Captain who was with Usopp who was now hiding beneath the side of the ship.

"You hungry!? Sanji's going to cook dinner soon!" He called out. "Invite your crew! Also your musician guy, we can play music!" He laughed. "It'll be fun! Come on!"

"_Just one Getsuga Tensho and __their ship would__ be sitting at the bottom of the ocean."_ Ichigo thought as he gripped the runs of the wheel tightly. _"Don't do it, don't let them get to you."_ He mentally chided himself.

"Are you coming or what!?" Luffy shouted again.

"_One Getsuga Jujisho and I'd be free of torment from them forever."_ He added with a pleasant smile.

"Sailing at night probably isn't the best option Ichigo." Yoruichi said making Ichigo turn to face the black cat sitting on the railing to the side of the wheel. "You can't see in the dark you know."

"I stop and they'll probably come aboard." Ichigo mumbled.

"Loosen up Ichigo." Yoruichi said standing up and walking over the rail to the other side of the wheel, Ichigo watching her carefully, she always did enjoy his torment. "Although there are a few things I wish to discuss with you."

"About what?" He questioned.

"Another time, you're frustrated and tired." Ichigo's eyebrow twitched in annoyance.

"And who's fault is that?" Ichigo questioned through gritted teeth.

"Certainly not mine." Yoruichi smirked. "I'll inform Chad to raise the sails and set anchor so we can pull up to a stop for the night. I don't doubt after dinner you'll be heading to bed." Ichigo simply nodded, it had been a tiring day. "Tell the other crew to pull up aside us, it'd be awfully terrible if they drifted off from us during the night when we are helping them." She told him making Ichigo sigh as she jumped down to the lower deck. Ichigo looked over to where Luffy was looking at him, he rose his hand up and made a gesture for them to wrap it up and put down their anchor.

"What does that mean!?" Luffy shouted. "He's trying to say something but I just can't figure it out."

"Maybe he has super brain powers that he can use with his hands?" Usopp questioned.

"Bring up your sails and set anchor you morons!" Ichigo roared. "We're pulling up for the night!"

"Why didn't you just say so instead of waving weirdly at us?" Luffy questioned making Ichigo glare at him only for the straw hat captain to grin before going about getting the others to bring them to a stop. As Ichigo saw that Chad had pulled the sail's up and was going about setting the anchor he headed down to the lower deck only for his eye to twitch as a large plank of wood slammed down onto the side rail of the Umi no Tamashi, chipping the railing.

"Orihime my dear where are you my love!?" Sanji cried rushing over the plank searching for his so called beloved all before Ichigo kicked him in the stomach sending him flying across the plank and back onto the Merry.

"Stay on your own damn ship!" Ichigo shouted at the blonde Cook.

"Wow your ship is huge!" Luffy said already aboard. "Where's the food!?" He asked eagerly making Ichigo groan as he and Usopp began to explore the deck of the ship. Chad placed a hand on Ichigo's shoulder making the orange haired captain look up at him.

"It's not that bad." Chad told him making Ichigo sigh, maybe he could let up on the other crew.

"Why didn't we board this ship instead of the other one Miss Wednesday? This one surely has enough room for the both of us plus many more." Mr Nine said looking around.

"Perhaps we'll remain on this vessel instead of the tug boat that the others call a ship." Miss Wednesday laughed over the top in a dramatic manner.

"Make sure they don't touch anything, I'm going to have a shower, eat and go to sleep." Ichigo informed Chad who simply nodded his head as Ichigo headed inside.

"This is so much bigger then the Merry!" Usopp shouted. "How much did it cost?" He questioned Chad.

"A friend of ours built it." The large man told him. "Please, follow me below." He said before leading the straw hats and the two odd balls they were taking to Whiskey Peak below the deck. Sanji noted that the Kitchen was nice and well stocked with an assortment of spices some even rare.

When they entered the lower deck they were surprised at how spacious it was, three large couches were in a large semi-circle towards the stern of the ship which was a simply blank wall that the non Karakura crew members found odd, not knowing the reason for the blank wall. They saw Ichigo enter a small room down the hallway before hearing rushing water.

"Ichigo's just taking a shower." Orihime smiled happily as she jumped to her feet from where she was sitting on the couch.

"Ah my love! You're as beautiful as ever!" Sanji cried rushing forward and taking Orihime's hands in his own. "Please, allow me to cook for you! I'll make something that you're beautiful lips will adore!"

"Oh?" Orihime questioned raising a hand up to her chin. "I was just about to start making dinner." She said tapping her chin.

"Yeah, hey Orihime, let Sanji try your ultimate special." Tatsuki grinned making everyone else who knew what Tatsuki was talking about pale, just how sadistic was Tatsuki?

"You're the cook as well as the doctor's healer and ultimate beauty!?" Sanji cried. "Please! Let me taste the food that the hands of a goddess has made!"

"And meat!" Luffy shouted.

"Alright! I'll get cooking right away!" Orihime cheered happy to be cooking for so many people. "It'll be done soon!" She called down from half way up the stairs before ascending the rest of the way upwards.

"_Sanji's going to die."_ Keigo thought from where he was sitting cross legged on the floor before a painful scratch to his cheek made him wince. "Ow!"

"I told you to concentrate." Yoruichi huffed. "You're not going to get anywhere if you don't concentrate."

"I know I know." Keigo pouted as he sighed as he closed his eyes and followed Yoruichi's instructions once more, he was finding this more difficult then what he thought it would be. It didn't help that there was a ton of people around now.

"What are they doing?" Zoro questioned as he walked over and took a seat on the couch next to Rukia.

"Mental training." She informed him.

"Zoro could use some of that." Nami smirked making the green haired swordsman glare at her. "So, you guys have a pretty nice ship here. What are those rooms back there?" She questioned.

"Bathroom, cargo, freezer and bedrooms." Tatsuki told her as she reclined on the couch looking over the gun Uryu and Keigo had bought her.

"Wow! What kind of gun is that!?" Usopp questioned snatching the gun from her hands making her glare at him which immediately made him give it back to her bowing all the while. _"Why is everyone on this crew so scary!"_ Usopp cried mentally.

"It's a new model from South Blue." Uryu informed him from where he was reading a book at a desk off to the side of the large room, Orihime's wanted poster nailed to the wall above it. "Holds six bullets and acts as a revolver." He informed the sharp shooter of the other crew as he pushed his glasses up. "Both Tatsuki and Keigo have one."

"Have what?" Keigo questioned before Yoruichi scratched his face again.

"Concentrate!" She growled at him. "You're worse then Ichigo when I was training him!" She shouted at the navigator.

"You train people?" Luffy questioned as he knelt down next to the cat. "How?"

"That's what I'd like to know." Tatsuki mumbled as she chewed on her finger nail handing the gun she was holding to Usopp. "Don't mess with it." Usopp quickly nodded as he examined the gun from all sides.

"Quite simply really." Yoruichi told the straw hat wearing captain. "I beat them until they start to learn." She said turning her glare onto Keigo who swallowed nervously. "Now concentrate Keigo, I won't ask you again."

"This has got to be the two weirdest crews in the entire Grandline Mr Nine." Miss Wednesday said as she saw the Straw Hat crew simply mingling with the Karakura crew who seemed way to relaxed for the current situation.

"I won't disagree Miss Wednesday." Mr nine told her. "But right now, they're our way back to Whiskey Peak, we're just fortunate that the Unlucky's haven't come after us yet." Miss Wednesday nodded in agreement.

"The Unlucky's?" Chad questioned making the two jump in surprise unaware that the large man was still standing behind them.

"How long have you been standing there?!" Mr Nine shouted.

"Since we walked in." Chad told him.

"The Unlucky's are none of your concern large man." Miss Wednesday told him. "You need not concern yourself with them." Chad simply shrugged his shoulders before walking around the two who shied away from the large man.

"You guys going to sit or just stand there and make the place look untidy?" Rukia questioned eyeing Miss Wednesday slightly, ever since she became a member of the Kuchiki family within the Soul Society and was taught how to act and behave like a Noble she found it easier to pick out the traits of a member of the higher class. The way they walked, spoke and acted. No matter how much you tried to hide it there was always something there to take notice of. She glanced over to Yoruichi who was watching Keigo intently. _"I don't doubt she's noticed it too. Miss Wednesday is someone of high status."_

"What the hell Kisuke!" A shout came from down the hall making everyone turn only for the door to the bathroom slam open and Ichigo to walk out of the bathroom with nothing but a towel around his waist his body dripping with water, his very most pissed of scowl covering his face making Mr Nine and Miss Wednesday hug each other fearful of what the scary captain might do. "Orihime, I need your help." Ichigo called out as he stood in the hall as everyone stared back at him, he noticed Orihime wasn't anywhere to be seen. "Why is everyone down here?" He questioned.

"Ichigo." Rukia said in shock at what had happened to Ichigo. "How?"

"It's that stupid candy Kisuke gave me!" Ichigo growled. "He said that it'd take some time for me to use my power but he didn't mention anything like this! Yoruichi, is there anyway we can contact the bastard?" He questioned. "If it's possible I'm going to kill him from here."

"It's just a couple of scars Ichigo." Yoruichi shrugged noting the scars that had once littered his Soul Form were starting to transfer over to his human body, the largest being the massive one in the centre of his chest that he had received in his battle with Ulquiorra so long ago, there was even a massive slash down his right side from where Kenpachi had struck him when he first invaded Soul Society. "Shows just how much you've been through and what you've accomplished, you should wear them proudly Ichigo."

"That doesn't mean I want to look at them all the time!" Ichigo growled. "Where's Orihime? I'm going to get her to get rid of them."

"You're going to make her waste her talent on something as stupid as your battle scars Ichigo?" Tatsuki huffed. "Grow up, it's not like they make you any less attractive." She huffed. "Not that your attractive anyway might I had." She smirked.

"I think he's a very handsome person Tatsuki." Yoruichi smirked.

"You're a cat, you don't know any better." Tatsuki shrugged. "You probably want to curl up in his lap and let him pat you until you purr."

"That doesn't sound bad. Not. At. All." She said in a seductive tone, although with the more mature male voice it sounded kinda creepy however Ichigo couldn't help the blood nose he got when he thought about a very naked, very human and very female Yoruichi with cat ears and tail curled up in his lap purring at him.

"You're a damn pervert!" Tatsuki shouted at him seeing him holding his nose making Yoruichi laugh her ass off causing Keigo to crack an eye open seeing as the one who was telling him to concentrate was completely out of it.

"It's actually my fault Tatsuki, I've been fooling everyone who doesn't really know about me." Yoruichi said as she managed to get back into control of her laughter. "I can show you what I mean if you want?" She questioned.

"Not now you won't." Ichigo growled at her. "Save it for a later date when we don't have a pervert around." He said eyeing Sanji who simply tilted his head at the remark.

"I guess your right, if I got a prude such as yourself all hot and bothered I guess a womaniser such as Sanji wouldn't cope." She smiled teasingly at him making him glare at her.

"I am so confused right now." Luffy said picking at his ear.

"I think Orihime might need help upstairs... let me go check." Sanji smiled before turning on his heel only to get kicked in the side by Tatsuki and was sent tumbling across the floor before Uryu pushed the chair, that was on wheels backwards as the blonde cook collided with the desk.

"If she needs help I'll go, you sit your ass down here!" Tatsuki growled at him. "Ichigo go get dressed!"

"Sure, fine whatever." Ichigo muttered as he turned and walked back down the hall Tatsuki walking up the stairs, Miss Wednesday who had been watching Ichigo since his not so quiet entrance out of the bathroom looked at the matching scars on Ichigo's back especially the large circular one.

"Those two sure are an aggressive duo." Nami stated as she continued to look around the large room.

"That's an understatement." Rukia smiled at her as Nami continued to look around the ship, the area they were in was almost as big as the entire Merry itself, she was kinda jealous that they didn't have the space like this.

"Can we sit?" Miss Wednesday questioned making Zoro and Rukia glance at her before Rukia scooted over to the end slightly making Zoro groan and do the same at the other end of the couch allowing both Mr Nine and Miss Wednesday to take a seat.

"Alright Keigo, since we have guest's I guess we can leave your concentrating till tomorrow. Meet me up on deck early." The black cat instructed.

"Got it." Keigo nodded as he stretched his legs out as Usopp sat across form him on the ground asking questions about the revolver he had received from Tatsuki to look at. Keigo pulling his own out so he could learn a few things from the other ships sharp shooter.

"So you're the crews cook?" Uryu questioned Sanji who was rubbing his head from where he had collided with the desk.

"Yeah, you?" Sanji replied looking up at the Quincy.

"Sharp shooter." Uryu told him pushing his glasses up. "We don't have official roles yet since our Captain has yet to designate our proper positions. The only two for sure are Orihime and Keigo. Orihime is our cook and doctor, I'll handle any illness that comes up since Orihime's power cannot deal with it and I have a doctor's degree. Keigo is our navigator." Sanji nodded as he searched his inner pocket before pulling out a pack of cigarettes.

"Out side Sanji." Nami called from across the room making Sanji sigh and go to stand before Uryu offered his hand which he took.

"Smoke?" Sanji offered Uryu.

"No, but I'll take the fresh air." Uryu replied making the blonde nod as they headed for the stairs. The door down the hall closed making Rukia turn and watch as Ichigo came out in a pair of sweat pants and a long white sleeved shirt. Oddly enough he had his swords at his hip.

"Rukia, let's go." Ichigo said making the older Soul Reaper raise an eyebrow.

"Where exactly are we going?" She questioned.

"I need to train."

"Like I'm going to train with you now, it's dark out and quite frankly you've been in a pissy mood all day. I'm not letting you take your frustration out on me." She told him making Ichigo grit his teeth together.

"Chad?"

"I think it better if we don't train tonight." Chad simply told him making Ichigo lower his head before turning to Zoro who was simply sitting there.

"What about you minty fresh?" Ichigo questioned the barely awake swordsman.

"Huh?" Zoro asked with a blank look not even noting the name Ichigo had called him.

"Spar up on deck?" Ichigo asked.

"Sure, don't see why not. Just let me go get my blades." Ichigo simply nodded as the two ascended to the top deck making Rukia face palm, one of the reason's she didn't want to spar Ichigo was that Ichigo didn't hold back, not even in training. Kisuke put it into his head that every fight he was in he needed to fight to kill, that damn resolve thing.

"Is everything going to be ok?" Miss Wednesday asked.

"Probably not." Rukia told her however made no attempt to go up after them. "So, what's your guys story?" She questioned making the two odd named guest simply laugh awkwardly.

"I'll go make sure they don't destroy anything." Chad said standing up from the couch and heading for the stairs. He walked into the kitchen and saw Tatsuki looking over Orihime's shoulder to see what she was cooking paling slightly with a sign of disgust showing on her face but knowing that the perverted blonde cook would be eating it soon made her feel better. She turned and was surprised to see Chad.

"Oh hey Chad." Tatsuki said. "What are Ichigo and that Zoro guy doing?" She questioned wandering why the two had come up from down below.

"Sparing." Chad told her making the martial artist nod as Chad exited the cabin and found Ichigo stretching on deck. "Ichigo." Said man looked back and rose his hand up.

"Yo, Chad." Ichigo greeted.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" The large man questioned. "Remember what Kisuke said, you won't have access to your powers until your body has adjusted and it'll take time. Sure you have some training in your human body since your fullbring but you've become much stronger since then. I doubt you could even enter Shikai without putting intense strain on your body." Ichigo simply smiled before drawing both of his blades in one single motion, the blades shining in the light of the moon.

"Don't worry about it Chad, I'm not going to need Shikai tonight." Chad sighed but simply nodded as he walked over to the rail and leaned against it as Ichigo began manoeuvring around practising swings with both of his Zanpakuto. "So how long do you reckon till I can go Bankai in my human body?" He summarised as he continued to move about. Chad could see Sanji and Uryu speaking further towards the bow of the ship.

"Yoruichi would know better then me." Chad told him turning back to Ichigo. "She seems to know more about anything Kisuke says then anyone else." He explained as he watched Ichigo's smaller blade glow a light blue as he slashed downwards with it, the larger blade glowing the same as a black Getsuga. His eyes filled with nothing but his pure resolve and glowing blue as a result. He caught the sight of Zoro coming over the plank from the Merry three swords at his hip making Chad raise an eyebrow, he had seen the man earlier with the swords at his hip but hadn't thought anything of it, did he really use all three at once?

"Nice technique." Zoro said as Ichigo came to a stop as he looked over at the other swordsman.

"Thanks." Ichigo nodded his thanks. "You use all three?"

"Yeah, three sword style." Ichigo nodded, he had never heard of someone using three swords at once before, sure Byakuya's own Senbonzakura turned into tiny blades but that was something totally different.

"_How's he meant to hold all three?"_ Ichigo questioned to himself. _"Two in his hands... one in his mouth maybe? I dunno."_ Ichigo shrugged it off as he rose his Zanpakuto up watching as Zoro unfastened the black and green bandanna from around his arm before tying it around his head before he drew his blades, and just like Ichigo had thought one was in his mouth. _"He can't be serious."_ The look in Zoro's eyes told Ichigo otherwise as he rose his own blades up. "This is new." He admitted making Zoro grin around the blade in his mouth.

Zoro ran forward three blades at the ready before coming in with a swing from the left, Ichigo rose his larger Zanpakuto up to deflect it before his eyes widened at how much strength was behind the single attack and was forced to recoil his arm back before raising his shorter Zanpakuto up to stop the two blades coming from the other side, matching the strength of the first blow. Ichigo's blade was shaking under the force Zoro was pressing against him with before Ichigo rose his larger Zanpakuto up and parred Zoro's other blade and jumped back with wide eyes.

"_He's jsut as strong as Chad with his armour out."_ Ichigo thought astonished before a grin came to his face. "This is going to be more fun then I thought."

"What do you mean?" Zoro questioned around the handle in his mouth.

"I've got to work up my strength again." Ichigo explained rolling his shoulders as the two stood across from one another. "Facing a strong opponent is going to help with that." Zoro grinned at that before his eyes widened as Ichigo disappeared from his sight only to appear to his left then was gone again, Zoro swung back and clashed all three blades into Ichigo's two before Zoro was kicked in the stomach and sent skidding back across the deck.

"Your speed is incredible." Zoro said with wide eyes although noting Ichigo's slight heavy breathing. _"That speed, it must be taking a toll on his body. It's like he's use to using it but can't seem to use it now."_ Zoro thought as he watched Ichigo who had wide eyes an angry scowl crossing his face as he stuck his larger Zanpakuto into the deck before raising a hand up to his chest and clenching at his shirt.

"Ichigo." Chad said standing up from the rail, Zoro nothing the concerned tone in the large man's voice for his Captain. He wondered just what was going on with the man he was fighting, why was he having such a hard time?

"I'm fine... just... just give me a minute." Ichigo huffed.

"_He only used flash step two times but the speed, he's been faster since coming back from the Soul King's Palace, it's even faster then when he used bringer light years ago. If he doesn't watch it his body will start to strain heavily, his bones won't be able to take it."_ Chad thought with a frown, he glanced to the door only to see Yoruichi sitting there with slightly narrowed eyes as she watched Ichigo.

"Hey, you alright?" Zoro questioned taking the blade out of his mouth. "If that technique takes such a toll on your body, perhaps you shouldn't use it." He told the orange haired captain.

"I'm fine." Ichigo said grabbing the hilt of his Zanpakuto and pulling it from the deck. _"Damn, just how much am I going to have to work to get my body into shape for my fights ahead? Damn Kisuke couldn't you have made this easier or something."_ He sighed as he turned back to Zoro and raised his blades up. "Alright, let's go again." Zoro nodded as he rose the blade up to his mouth and bit it before they both charged forward.

The two clashed blades crashing against one another over and over again as Chad watched. Truth be told all the times he had fought with Ichigo over the years he couldn't exactly say he had fought beside his friend in the years they'd discovered their powers. They had always split up or taken different routes or had been forced apart. There was even a time when Chad felt that Ichigo thought him to weak to fight beside him and trained hard with Renji to prove he was strong. Chad knew that there was a chance he'd never get to Ichigo's level of strength and power but he was always growing stronger to try and prove that wrong.

"He's going to need a lot of help." Yoruichi said moving to sit beside Chad on the railing. "I honestly thought that Ichigo would be able to do more, I didn't know how much his body would be restricted by his power."

"It just goes to show how strong Ichigo truly is, even his own body protests under the strength." Chad said making Yoruichi nod as the two swordsman clashed, blood had already been spilled and splattered against the deck, from both swordsman. "If his body is causing this much problems with just flash step..." Chad trailed off.

"It means that he is nowhere near being able to use his Shikai. Looks like I get to torture one of my favourite students again." She chuckled lightly making Chad crack a small smile. "It could kill him or in the very least tear his human body to shreds." Yoruichi's voice softened. "Whatever happens, he can't enter Shikai or use to much of his power until we know he's ready. If it comes down to it Chad, we'll have to stop him from doing so by force if need be." Chad nodded his head in understanding.

"We'll start his training tomorrow?" Chad questioned.

"Without a doubt, I'll have my hands full with Tatsuki and Keigo but I'm sure we can work something out." Yoruichi explained.

"Gah!" Zoro shouted as Ichigo's shorter Zanpakuto stabbed into Zoro's side before the three blade wielding swordsman swung down with the blade in his mouth sinking into Ichigo's shoulder bypassing the large Zanpakuto that was holding off his other two blades.

"Ah!" Ichigo shouted through gritted teeth before their respective blades were ripped from their opponents, both swordsman covered in cuts, blood littered their tattered clothing making Yoruichi sigh.

"Boys, do they ever want to stay clean?" She questioned mentioning Ichigo's shower from earlier. "Alright, that's enough." She called out. "I think Orihime has finished cooking."

"Oh... good, I'm starved." Zoro said before his swords dropped to the ground and he fell backwards. "After I take a nice little nap." He sighed closing his eyes.

"Hey Chad, mind getting Orihime?" Ichigo questioned as he fell down to one knee both his Zanpakuto dug deep into the deck as he supported himself. "Could possibly use her help." He said before face planting the ground and sighing.

"Morons." Both Uryu and Sanji muttered as they walked past from where they had been at the bow of the ship over to the cabin, Chad following after them as Yoruichi walked up to the two swordsmen and took a seat in front of Icihgo who rolled his head and looked up at her.

"Training, tomorrow morning before Keigo and Tatsuki." She instructed. "We need to get you back into fighting shape."

"Yeah... this sucks." He muttered tilting his head onto it's side again he stiffened slightly when something fell onto his cheek and opened his eye and looked down only for his eyes to widen slightly before looking up at Yoruichi. "Is that snow?" he asked.

"So it would seem." Yoruichi smiled as she looked up into the sky to see even more snow flakes falling from the dark sky.

"It's not even cold." Ichigo groaned.

"It's about to be."

* * *

"I-I-It's... impossible." Sanji said staring in horror down at the plate sitting in front of him that Orihime had placed there with just the cutest smile for him. He looked up at the others meals, Luffy's already gone from his plate and stealing from Usopp's own plate. Everyone else had simple meals placed before them, nothing compared to the cooking monstrosity that had been placed before him. He was sitting there a forkful of whatever was on his plate, the smell alone was making him cringe. He looked up to Tatsuki who was grinning at him.

"How is it?" Tatsuki questioned. "It's Orihime's speciality, Peanut Butter curry mixed with raisins, oysters along with a large variety of other ingredients. You better eat it all, Orihime would be sad if you turned down her cooking." Sanji gripped his plate tightly, she was right. It'd make the beautiful woman sad if he turned down her meal. Orihime had been called to the upper deck by Chad to heal Ichigo and Zoro. Gripping the fork tightly he raised it up to his mouth.

"Don't do it!" Keigo cried but it was already to late Sanji was eating the entire thing trying to force it all down in one mouth fall, Tatsuki laughing her ass off as Sanji ate the all but toxic meal. Keigo hung his head making Usopp cry thinking Sanji was going to die at how the Karakura's navigator was acting, missing Luffy finishing the rest of his food off.

"Is it really that bad?" Nami questioned Tatsuki looking down at her own plate wandering if hers was going to be like Sanji's.

"Orihime has a peculiar way of cooking, sure she can cook normal food fine but let her mind wander and you'll get something like that abomination." The clatter of plate and fork brought Tatsuki's attention to Sanji who was swallowing the food before he sighed, not a single drop left on his plate. "It takes an iron stomach to hold down Orihime's more bazaar cooking, Orihime's the only one I know who can, so in three, two, one." Sanji's face turned blue and he was immediately on his feet.

"Down the hall second on the right." Rukia told him making the blonde cook run down the hall, the bathroom door slamming shut behind him before Tatsuki laughed.

"What's so funny?" Luffy questioned licking Usopp's plate clean.

"Hey! That was mine!" Usopp shouted. "Cough it up right now!"

"But it was yummy and you weren't eating it!" Luffy cried.

"I was in despair for the loss of our cook!"

"But Sanji just went to the bathroom." The two began to fight making Keigo simply watch as he ate his own plane not toxic curry that Orihime had made. Nami had to laugh lightly at Tatsuki's torture of Sanji, sure it was all playful banter but the blonde cook wouldn't stop no matter the warnings from the martial artist.

"He totally had it coming." Nami laughed.

"Is he always like that?"

"When he's around a girl he is." She told her. "But he's a good guy." Tatsuki simply shrugged as the two ate their meal. Rukia was sitting with Miss Wednesday and Mr Nine, all who were simply eating and ignoring the rest of them.

"You seem to be the most civilised out of both crews Miss Rukia." Mr Nine told the soul reaper.

"You flatter me Mr Nine." Rukia smiled. "It's only right that there is at least one responsible person among the crew. The Captain sure isn't going to take things seriously."

"What is his deal anyway?" Mr Nine questioned. "He's very intimidating. I thought he would be the most serious of the group." Rukia had to snort at that.

"Ichigo's just not the serious kinda guy, sure he puts on a scary face from time to time when he needs to but he's actually a decent guy once you get to know him." She explained. "Get on his bad side and hell itself won't save you." She smiled making the two pale. "So, tell him the truth, don't ever lie and never hurt someone close to him. You'll get along fine if you follow those simple instructions." Both nodded their heads eagerly.

"It's snowing!" Orihime cheered walking down the stairs, snow in her hair and on her clothes.

"That's impossible." Nami stated getting to her feet. "How is it snowing, there hasn't been any evidence to show any of the signs." She said as Orihime shook herself off sending snow onto the floor making Tatsuki sigh in irritation.

"I don't know how it's happening but it's snowing." Orihime giggled.

"Is the food ready yet?" Zoro questioned stumbling down after Orihime along with Ichigo, there clothes in tatters and covered in blood.

"What the hell happened to you two!?" Everyone shouted at them.

"Oh, we spared." Ichigo shrugged it off before placing a hand on Orihime's shoulder. "Thanks Orihime." She smiled happily and nodded before she gave both Zoro and Ichigo a plate before they went and sat on one of the empty couches and began to eat as everyone began to head up stairs to see the snow.

"She's an incredible healer." Zoro said making Ichigo nod in agreement. "What kind of devil fruit did she eat to gain such power?"

"Devil fruit? No idea what you're talking about. Her powers are her own." Ichigo told him.

"How is that even possible?" Zoro questioned.

"It's a long story and quite frankly, hard to explain." Zoro simply shrugged his shoulders as the two finished off their meals. When the two finished and after Sanji had finished in the bathroom, the two straw hat pirates headed up to deck as Ichigo headed to the large room that the males had claimed for their own and collapsed into one of the beds.

* * *

"Wakey wakey, hands off snakey." The mature deep male voice that Yoruichi had when she was a cat spoke.

"Go away Yoruichi." Ichigo mumbled rolling under the blankets to turn away from the annoyance that had seemed to plague the majority of his spiritually aware life. "It's cold, early and from what I can tell still dark." He sighed before his eyes shot wide open as the weight of the cat grew and a delicate hand slid across his chest.

"I know it's cold." Yoruichi's feminine voice cooed in his ear as she hugged him from behind. "So let's get warm together." Ichigo was immediately on his feet blushing madly as Yoruichi sat up with a smirk on her face holding the blanket to cover herself. _"Works every time."_ She thought. "You're so predictable Ichigo, when are you ever going to loosen up. I'm just teasing you."

"You're also naked!" Ichigo hissed as Keigo mumbled in his sleep behind him. "Do you even have any clothes here!?" Ichigo growled at her.

"Oh no, what ever should I do?" Yoruichi said in a mock innocent tone. "Let me borrow some of yours?" She questioned with an adorable pout.

"Like hell!" Ichigo growled storming quietly to the door making Yoruichi tilt her head after a few minutes of silence she managed to pick up Ichigo speaking with a sleepy Orihime however before he walked back into the room and threw some clothes at her which she caught effortlessly. "Wear these." He huffed. "I'll meet you up on deck." Yoruichi simply nodded before dressing herself in the warm clothes Ichigo had tossed her frowning slightly at the tightness over the bust. She thought Orihime and her would be about the same size, it would seem that she one upped the younger woman. Grinning she walked out of the room and headed for the stairs a slight skip in her step.

The purple haired woman saw Ichigo on deck hands dug deep into his pockets his body physically shaking as the snow fell around him. It was an amazing sight to see, the entire deck had been covered with snow over night and the air was a hazy white. Yoruichi walked forward before handing a shovel to Ichigo making him raise an eyebrow.

"Can't have us training on a snow covered deck, we'd trip or slip and fall into the water." She explained. "So get to it, clear the deck before the sun comes up."

"You're kidding me?"

"Now Ichigo." She told him her voice stern. "I'll be here going over what you need to adjust to so you can start using your powers to their potential again." Ichigo groaned as he gripped the shovel muttering about slave drivers and demonic woman cats. It was an hour later when Yoruichi told him to stop, Ichigo had been working up a slight sweat as he cleared the deck, there was a large enough space for them to train with now. "First of all Ichigo, we need to get your endurance back up to speed. Yes you have a good endurance for a human but even so, to use your powers you need to increase it. There are two ways we can go about doing this." She explained to him raising up two fingers and wiggling them slightly.

"There are? Since when have there been two, shouldn't I just train constantly?" He questioned.

"That's one of the methods." She told him with a smirk. "Or there is one more thing we can do, it evolves sheets, nakedness and a whole lot of moaning." She quickly ducked beneath the flying shovel as it hit the wall with a loud clang.

"Damn pervert!" Ichigo growled making Yoruichi laugh once more.

"Come on Ichigo, your twenty years old. Sure I got it when you were fifteen and when you were still a teenager but you're a man now." Yoruichi said folding her arms as she walked forward. "One day some lucky girl is going to sweep you off your feet and you're just going to be a disappointment to her."

"Just shut up." Ichigo muttered a slight tinge of pink on his cheeks as he looked away from her.

"Fine, fine I'll stop teasing you for now. Your training is more important. You need to get stronger. I want you to be able to use your Shikai before long." She told him.

"What I can't even use Shikai right now!?" Ichigo questioned astonished. "Sure I felt like crap after I used the flash step last night but I should be fine in Shikai right?"

"Wrong." She told him sternly. "Ichigo, until I say so you are not allowed to go into Shikai or Bankai. You could die as a result if your body isn't ready for it."

"What about Rukia, she entered her Shikai just yesterday."

"That's different, her and my own body are gigai's, they don't have the same limitations of the human body." Ichigo simply groaned as he ran a hand through his hair and messed it up. "Don't worry Ichigo." Yoruichi smiled. "That's what we're training for, sure it would have been easier of Kisuke had simply made you a gigai or something along those lines but this is how things have played out."

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

"Plus, it's about time I showed you your place again." She smirked.

"Oh I was forgetting I started to leave you in the dust." Ichigo smirked making Yoruichi's eye twitch.

"You're going to regret saying that."

* * *

"Who's Ichigo fighting?" Tatsuki questioned looking out the window eating a piece of toast watching Ichigo sparing hand to hand with Yoruichi, she had only just awoken, Orihime talking to her and Rukia long through the night after they had come in after playing in the snow some. "There is some strange woman out there, wearing some of Orihime's clothes." She added with an annoyed look as Rukia walked up to the window to see Yoruichi kick out at Ichigo catching him in the side sending him flying across the deck and into some of the snow that had started to pile up.

"Oh, that's Yoruichi." Rukia told her making Tatsuki turn to her with wide eyes. "That's her usual form, she simply turns into a cat from time to time."

"People don't just turn into cats Rukia!" She shouted making Rukia chuckle lightly. "So that's what she meant when she said that we didn't know the truth about her last night."

"That would be it." Rukia nodded.

"Also the reason Ichigo got a blood nose after he imagined her sitting in his lap!" Tatsuki said through gritted teeth.

"More then likely" The Soul Reaper nodded again.

"That damn pervert I'll kill him!"

"If I do recall, it was you who put the thought into his head Tatsuki." Chad spoke up.

"That doesn't explain why Yoruichi curled up in Ichigo's bed last night!" Tatsuki shouted, Orihime have poked her head in the boys room to wish him a goodnight only to find Ichigo fast asleep with Yoruichi in her cat form curled up next to him, Tatsuki had just managed to gain a look into the room as Orihime closed the door. Chad opened his mouth to speak but couldn't even try to explain why Yoruichi had done that.

"Yoruichi and Ichigo are close." Tatsuki turned around and was surprised to find that it was Orihime that spoke with a smile on her face. "They always have been, ever since we broke into the Soul Society together. Right Rukia?"

"Yeah, Yoruichi and Kisuke practically taught him everything he knows." Rukia nodded nibbling her own toast. "Yoruichi just likes to tease him because he's such a prude." Tatsuki simply smirked in response. "The Soul Society's woman's association has a betting pool going on and it's kinda spread through the entire Soul Society." She chuckled awkwardly wandering how the initial bet had spiralled out of control, she figured it was either Rangiku or Yachiru.

"Soul Society's Woman's Association?" Tatsuki questioned with a slight dead pan. "That's actually a thing?"

"What's the bet for?" Orihime questioned making Rukia chuckle awkwardly.

"Well... um... we really aren't meant to talk about it... with people who are involved in the bet..." She said before meeting the death glare of Tatsuki.

"Orihime's in your stupid bet?" She growled at the Soul Reaper.

"It's alright Tatsuki. They're all my friends." Orihime told her with a smile making Tatsuki sigh as she calmed herself down. "Although I wonder what it is?" Orihime questioned.

"It's not something stupid right? Like who hooks up with Ichigo first or anything like that, right?" Tatsuki questioned making Orihime's face turn completely red at the simple term of 'hooking up with Ichigo' as Rukia chuckled awkwardly, finding the floor very interesting. "You're kidding me!?"

"What! We get bored!" Rukia shouted in her defence. "The last thing we did before the bet was break into Brother's house to rebuild the pool..." She muttered, only for Byakuya to return just as the water was finished filling the pool and to destroy it before calling the guards.

"So, who's in the lead?" Uryu suddenly questioned making Tatsuki and Rukia turn to the Quincy with wide eyes. "What?"

"You want to put something down?" Rukia questioned wandering if she needed to get into contact with the SSWA.

"Just curious." The Quincy told her.

"Ah well... the Top three right now would have to be..." She wracked her brain from the last information meeting with the SSWA. "Orihime, Yoruichi and Tia Harribel are the favourites right now."

"The Arrancar!" Orihime and Uryu shouted in surprise making Rukia nod her head.

"Lisa from the Vizard is in Fourth from what I remember along with Rangiku, tying for fourth." Rukia nodded the information coming back to her.

"Why do I have so much competition, Ichigo needs to stop going to Soul Society, he can't meet with the woman there any more, I also wondered why he was going to visit Miss Nel so often, of course he was going to run into Miss Harribel." Orihime said crouching in the corner of the room drawing circles on the wall with her finger as she listed off things she was going to try and stop Ichigo from doing, even knowing she'd never actually stop Ichigo from doing anything.

"I think you guys broke her." Chad said before pushing the door open a cold breeze from the outside coming in as he walked out only to jump back slightly as Ichigo and Yoruichi passed him fighting all the while. _"__Yoruichi really isn't going easy on him."_ The large man realised before looking over to the Merry to see Zoro watching from the side of the smaller ship, lifting a massive weight with one hand as he brushed his teeth with the other. Raising his hand up in greeting he got a return nod from the swordsman.

"Chad take over for me." Yoruichi instructed making Chad's eyes widened before Yoruichi jumped on the large teens shoulders and pushed him forward into Ichigo's oncoming fist. "My bad!" Yoruichi called back with a slight laugh.

"Damn Chad! What is your face made of!" Ichigo shouted holding his fist that had only left a small scuff mark on Chad's face.

"Sorry." Chad said bringing his fists up.

"Let's get it over with then." Ichigo sighed making Chad nod as the two exchanged blows. Yoruichi however had entered the kitchen to see Tatsuki trying to comfort a slightly disorientated Orihime.

"At least one of you is up." Yoruichi sighed making Tatsuki look over her shoulder at her. "We're going to be setting sail soon, as we sail I'm starting yours and Keigo's training. So be ready."

"Right." Tatsuki nodded as Yoruichi headed down the stairs noting the quietness of the lower deck. She sighed, remembering strictly for Keigo to be up early. She walked to the boys designated room and opened the door only to stare in with surprise.

Keigo was sitting on his bed how Yoruichi had instructed him to, his eyes closed in deep concentration. Yoruichi waited for a moment before sensing the tiniest fluctuation of reiatsu before it became visual as it flicked off his shoulder. Yoruichi smiled and simply closed the door, he was further along then she would of given the young man credit for. If she left Keigo to the same state for a couple of hours she could focus on Tatsuki for a good portion of the day without Keigo being neglected.

"Alright Tatsuki, outside let's go. You're up." Yoruichi said walking through the kitchen making Tatsuki turn from where she was trying to get Orihime out of the corner she was in.

"I'll look after her, you go and train." Rukia smiled at her making Tatsuki nod her head in thanks before quickly running after Yoruichi only to be surprised that the dark skinned woman had already made it to the bow of the ship in the short time that she had exited the kitchen. She saw Ichigo and Chad fighting in a clearing of the deck not pulling their punches either. She quickly jogged up to where Yoruichi was looking off into the distant sea.

"Well, I guess it's time you join your friends, hmm?" Yoruichi smiled over her shoulder at the martial artist. "I've heard from Ichigo and Orihime both that you are very well versed with martial arts, right?"

"Yes." Tatsuki nodded making Yoruichi smile.

"That means you're going to at least have some respect, can't say that for the ungrateful jerk." Tatsuki and Yoruichi both turned and looked to Ichigo only to watch Chad punch him in the stomach sending him across the deck of the Umi no Tamashi and smash into the mast of the Going Merry with a groan. "But enough about him." She said turning and walking towards Tatsuki. "I'm going to teach you a very advanced battle technique." She explained to her. "Only myself and one other have ever mastered it." Tatsuki's eyes widened slightly. "But before you can learn that you need to learn two other things first."

"First?" Tatsuki questioned confused.

"That's right. First you will need to learn Hakuda. It is one of the four basic fighting styles of the Soul Reapers." Yoruichi told her. "The second will be more difficult but Keigo is already showing signs of improvement in drawing his reiatsu."

"He is?"

"Right now he's practising below deck. I thought him to be asleep but he was awake and already in a high concentration before I went below. I was impressed."

"Keigo surprises people at the best of times." Tatsuki smiled remembering how he had offered to fight Aizen so that they could all escape. "What is the second thing I will need to learn?"

"Kido." Yoruichi explained. "A lightning Kido to be exact, it can be wind but after you've mastered one we'll see how things go." Tatsuki simply nodded. "The technique I'm going to teach you is known as Shunko, it's the highest form of a Hakuda technique that yours truly created well over a century ago."

"Damn... I keep forgetting you and Rukia are centuries old." Tatsuki mumbled under her breath.

"Matured not old!" Yoruichi growled at her making Tatsuki nod quickly. "Anyway, I'll show you the final form of Shunko that you'll be learning so stand back. When we get to a decent port with proper stalls we'll get the right outfit for this. It ruins the back of your clothes." Tatsuki simply nodded her head in understanding as she took several steps backwards only for her eyes to widen in surprise as Yoruichi gave her a smirk before leaping backwards off of the bow of the ship and simply standing in the air forty or so meters away from the ship. Tatsuki watched as Yoruichi rose both her arms up to the sides before the a massive force of wind crashed against the water making waves crash against the ships.

Tatsuki stared wide eyed up at the woman who was still standing in the air now a violent aura radiating around her body, it sent shivers up Tatsuki's spine as she watched as Yoruichi went side on, she pulled her fist back before moving it out in forward motion only for a massive burst of wind to sail across the sky from her fist. When Yoruichi landed back onto the deck of the ship holding one hand up to cover her now naked chest since the top she had been wearing was blown to smithereens she simply cocked her head to the side and grinned at Tatsuki.

"So, what'd ya think?"

"How long is it going to take before I can do that?" Tatsuki questioned, still wide eyed.

"Well, you've got your martial arts training down pat from what I hear, so learning Hakuda won't be too challenging for you. You'll simply need the speed that Hakuda requires." Tatsuki nodded her head. "Kido will be a different story, but I say we start training you in Shunko in say, about two months? Yeah, I'll give you three weeks to get Hakuda down to a good level then five weeks to learn the basics of Kido." She informed her.

"Two months? Really!?" Tatsuki asked excited and Yoruichi nodded.

"Put the training in and you'll do well, now excuse me. It's a little chilly out here and I'm going to put something on. I'll be back out here training you in a couple of minutes." Tatsuki simply nodded, eager to start her training. She felt giddy inside and jumped up and down on the spot before turning to see Chad and Ichigo looking at her making her face heat up in embarrassment.

"Aren't you meant to be beating each other senseless!?" She shouted at the two.

"Let's get moving." Ichigo sighed as he turned to Zoro who was still aboard the Merry. "Oi, ready your crew. We should head out now."

"I'll get on it." Zoro said, still shocked at what he had witnessed Yoruichi do, he still had no idea that she was the cat. He headed for the cabin where he woke everyone. Soon enough the two ships were sailing again. Orihime and Rukia had set up to control the direction of the Umi no Tamashi, Uryu was once again in the crows nest, Keigo was still in his state of concentration below deck, Tatsuki was training with Yoruichi at the bow of the ship while Chad and Ichigo were sparing in the centre.

* * *

"I think everyone in that crew is a monster in disguise." Zoro stated standing at the bow of the Merry looking at the Umi no Tamashi sailing ahead of them, Luffy in his usual seat atop the Goat's head with a wide grin on his face. "They've been up before sunrise training."

"They're so cool." He told the swordsman. "I want them in my crew." He declared.

"Idiot, if anything we'd join their crew, they have the numbers and the better ship." Zoro told him.

"The Going Merry is beautiful!" Usopp cried. "Don' disrespect her! She's just as much apart of the crew as you or I, Zoro!"

"But you have to admit Usopp, their ship is better." Luffy told him making the long nosed teen slump over, he couldn't deny it. the Umi no Tamashi was practically flawless in design. "So, how do we recruit new crew members that are already a crew?"

"Simply, we don't." Zoro told him. "They're fine on their own and so are we." He continued. "Plus, monsters like them will only get into trouble along the way." Luffy's grin widened. "Not the good kind of trouble Luffy." He sighed. "Forget it, I'm going to have a nap." He muttered as he turned and began to walk away from the energetic captain.

"Hey Nami!" Luffy called back to the navigator.

"What?" Nami shouted back.

"Let's follow them!"

"We are you moron."

"I mean after Whiskey Peak!" Luffy told her.

"No! We're getting a Log Pose like we said and then we're moving on!" Nami growled in irritation. "We have our own adventure to make right?"

"That's right! I bet if we follow them we'll hit adventure big time!" Nami face palmed as she sighed, she just hoped that Luffy would forgo following them. Sure they were fun and easy to get along with but Zoro was right, they were a bunch of monsters in disguise. "Sanji! I'm hungry!"

"He's still sick." Usopp told him.

"Huh! Sanji's sick! When did that happen!?" Luffy cried. "Who's going to cook me meat!" He shouted. "MEAT! GIVE ME MEAT! I WANT MEAT! SANJI GET BETTER AND COOK ME MEAT!"The straw hat crew simply sighed as their Captain went on another meat rampage.

**Next Time, arrival at Whiskey Peak and introduction to the Baroque Works**


	6. Chapter 6

It had been several days since the two crews had left behind Crocus and Laboon, the unnaturally large whale. They had been sailing along the Grandline and it's absurd weather patterns for under a week now and quite frankly they were sick of it. They needed land under their feet not the fear of when the next crazy storm would hit, not if, but when.

First it was the snow falling, sure it was fun that was until they hit a blizzard that almost capsized the Going Merry and the Umi No Tamashi was forced to rope the smaller ship to it's side as they sailed. With a counter balance the size of the Umi No Tamashi the Merry had no chance of capsizing in the storms that progressed, however a certain Soul Reaper was irritated by the now constant presence of the other crew aboard his ship. Also, for some unknown Reason Mr Nine and Miss Wednesday had taken residence aboard the larger ship.

For the last four days Ichigo had been training with Yoruichi, Chad and Rukia non stop unless it was to sleep or eat. None of them were holding back on him either. With Chad, he pushed Ichigo's physical endurance to the test. Yoruichi pushed him with speed while Rukia pushed him with their Zanpakuto, even Zoro and joined in more then once during their sessions. It was usually the three of them fighting one another but more then once it turned to be Zoro and Ichigo fighting against Rukia.

For the most part it had been either Uryu or Orihime who had been steering the ship in Ichigo's absence from the wheel. Uryu only came down to steer from the crows nest when either Orihime wanted to cook lunch or get started on an early dinner otherwise she was steering with input from Keigo from time to time to put them back on track. She had already made one detour...

Tatsuki and Keigo for the most part were constantly training with Yoruichi. If Yoruichi had gone to train Ichigo which usually happened before anyone else was awake however sometimes she'd go and spar with him in the afternoon they'd simply train on their own or Rukia would help Tatsuki with her hakuda being a practitioner of the skill herself. Uryu also had the task of teaching Keigo and Tatsuki to shoot their newly acquired weapons.

The straw hat crew? Well they just lounged about apart from Zoro who was mostly training with Ichigo aboard the Umi No Tamashi. Usopp mostly worked on his equipment, Nami was always checking the winds and direction offering to help Orihime with the direction after the detour she made... Sanji had made it his personal job to cook for both ships crews not wanting to taste the so called speciality of Orihime again, he feared that Tatsuki would most likely say something if she cooked again. Luffy simply got to know the other crew when he had time, otherwise he was bugging his own crew about being bored or how he was hungry.

"Really Mr Nine, we should have been back at Whiskey Peak two days ago." Miss Wednesday huffed crossing her arms standing on the deck of the Umi No Tamashi as she stared up at the bubbly Orihime who was smiling happily behind the wheel. "If she didn't make that detour..."

"I'm aware Miss Wednesday but there is nothing we can do about it now. We should be approaching soon."

"Land ho!" Uryu called down making everyone stop and look up to him from their respective positions.

"Yay! Uryu you said it!" Orihime cheered.

"Land!" Luffy shouted standing on his ship's figurehead. "Awesome! Let's go!" He shouted. "Those cactus's are huge!" He cheered as both crew's rushed towards the bows of their respective ships to see the first island in the Grandline.

"Well we must be off!" Mr Nine shouted gaining the attention fo both crews as they turned to see both Mr Nine and Miss Wednesday on the railing of the Umi No Tamashi.

"It's been an interesting ride to say the least." Miss Wednesday continued.

"Perhaps we'll meet again some day."

"Don't count on it." Ichigo muttered with a slight scowl making the two recoil back slightly, four days of travelling with Ichigo still didn't lessen their fear of him.

"Bye Bye, Baby!" Both called out before leaping backwards into the ocean.

"Wouldn't it have been faster for us to just drop them off?" Rukia questioned as she saw the two splash in the water before starting to swim, however being left behind by the much faster speed of the Umi No Tamashi.

"Who cares, their off our boat. Let's just hope we don't run into them again." Ichigo sighed as he walked back towards the stern deck where the wheel was located. "We'll bring the ship into dock and stretch our legs on stable ground." He explained.

"Aye aye Captain!" Orihime saluted with a grin making Ichigo crack a smile at her making her grin widen before turning to the others. "You heard him men! Bring up the sails! Ready the anchor! Shiver me port side and buckle swash the poop deck!" The entire Karakura crew face palmed as Orihime placed her hands on her hips as she grinned, she heself had no idea what the hell she was talking about but it sounded piraty to her so it was good enough.

"Ichigo." Nami called out making the orange haired captain turn to the Merry to see Nami looking at him while pointing towards the island. "There's a water way just ahead, we can probably drop anchor down there somewhere."

"Got it." Ichigo called back a he grabbed the wheel, Zoro and Usopp going about detaching the Merry from the Umi No Tamashi as Ichigo directed the larger ship down through the water way, Sanji directing the Merry in after them as a heavy fog started drifting over them. "Chad, pull up all sails so we're just drifting." Ichigo called down getting a thumbs up in response to the order. The sails rose up making the ship start to decelerate as it drifted through the mist. Keigo walked up the stairs next to Ichigo and looked to the either sides of the water channel.

"Is it just me or are we being watched?" He questioned making Ichigo smile.

"You're getting better with your spiritual awareness I see." Ichigo told him.

"Yoruichi is a pretty good teacher." Keigo grinned. "So, we are then?" Ichigo nodded his head.

"From both sides." He explained. "By a lot of people."

"How many is a lot?" Keigo questioned.

"Over a hundred, easily." Yoruichi said making Keigo jump slightly at the sudden appearance of his teacher. "Right now they're simply watching, no need to worry. We'll clear the fog soon enough. I've instructed Orihime to raise a shield over the ship until we're in the clear." Ichigo nodded his head in understanding.

The fog grew less dense and they could start to make people out on the banks making Keigo rush to the side before the fog cleared and shouts could be heard before the sun blocked their vision slightly before they heard cheers. Ichigo opened his eyes from the blinding light only to see hundreds of people lining the shores with banners and cheering for them.

"Uh... did we miss a parade or something?" Ichigo questioned.

"Nope, they're for us." Yoruichi smirked noting a 'We Love Pirates' banner flying in the hands of a few attractive woman. She glanced back to see the Merry exiting the fog after them and the crew was just as shocked as her own all before Luffy cheered back getting more cheers from the crowd for them.

"Isn't it just a little strange that a town is welcoming pirates?" Keigo questioned.

"It'll be fine! Enjoy yourself and don't refuse their hospitality!" Yoruichi laughed pushing him towards the stairs making him walk down them as the ship came to a stop, Chad dropping anchor before lowering a ramp to the shore. Yoruichi turned back to Ichigo. "Keigo's right, no sane town would welcome Pirates." Yoruichi told him.

"Someone on the ship at all times then." Yoruichi nodded her head in agreement.

"Kisuke would be pissed if it was stolen or anything happened to it."

"Like I care what he thinks, this is our only ride out of here." Ichigo told her making Yoruichi smirk.

"Welco... Ma-ma-ma... Welcome!" A large man stated holding a saxophone as Ichigo and Yoruichi leaned on the railing as Orihime, Tatsuki, Chad and Keigo walked down the ramp onto the shore. Uryu still up in the crows nest as Rukia walked out of the cabin towards Ichigo and Yoruichi. "My name is Igarappoi. I'm the mayor of Whiskey Peak."

"You're hair is curly old guy!" Luffy cheered rushing over to them as the others of his crew docked the Merry shouting about how their Captain wasn't suppose to run off like that. "My name is Luffy, nice to meet you."

"I'm Orihime, this is Tatsuki, Keigo and Chad. That's Uryu up in the crows nest and Ichigo with Yoruichi and Rukia on deck." She explained happily making Tatsuki pull her back. "Tatsuki, what's wrong?"

"Just shh ok." She huffed at her friend.

"Whiskey Peak is a place that thrives on making liquor and music. Hospitality is the pride of our town. As for our proud liquor, it's as bountiful as sea water."

"Yay! Tatsuki let's go have a drink!" Orihime cheered.

"Uh... maybe later and not to much Orihime." Tatsuki chuckled knowing how Orihime when she has to much to drink, since becoming of legal age everyone in their group of friends knew that Orihime and liquor was a bad mix.

"Please allow us to throw you a party in your honour, so that we may hear your..." Igarappoi cleared his throat making everyone cock an eyebrow at him. "Ma-ma-ma... your tales of adventure."

"You alright old guy?" Tatsuki questioned.

"You should probably get that looked at, doesn't sound healthy." Keigo added.

"Let's Party!" Luffy with the now present Sanji and Usopp cheered as Nami sighed as she stood next to Zoro and the others on shore.

"Idiots."

"You don't want a party?" Orihime questioned her. "I think it'll be fun! Let's go Tatsuki! Ichigo, you coming for the party!?" She called back making Ichigo pale remembering the last time Orihime was in the drinking state of mind, a shudder going up his spine.

"Ah, you guys go ahead." Ichigo told her. "We'll... uh stay and look after the ship." He told her making the buxom auburn haired woman pout up at him.

"Chicken." Tatsuki told him making Ichigo glare at her.

"Later Ichigo!" Keigo cheered. "Let's go Chad!" He egged the larger man on running after the others.

"Excuse me, Igarappoi was it?" Rukia questioned from the deck making the white haired man look up at her. "How long does it take for the log-pose to reset?"

"Question's for another time, please come and enjoy yourselves. It's a party you'll never forget I assure you." He smiled.

"We'll be there soon." She told him making the large man nod.

"Is it wise to send the others off like that?" Uryu questioned landing on deck. "I mean, this town's obviously hiding something."

"Ah, wise guy aye?" Yoruichi smirked. "By all means Uryu, go and join them. Ichigo, Rukia and myself can hold down the ship. By rights it shouldn't take more then a day or so for the Log-pose to reset, simply keep a watchful eye on everyone for us." Uryu simply sighed.

"I'd rather not, Orihime drunk? Let's just say I'll stay here." He stated before Ichigo placed a hand on the Quincy's shoulder and simply gave him a knowing nod.

"What is that suppose to mean?" Yoruichi questioned.

"Nothing." Both men stated.

"I'm going to go into town to see if there is anything worth getting." Rukia stated. "I'll head over to where the others are soon to see how it's all going." She told them as she walked down the ramp, the three others nodding.

"Now, back to training!" Ichigo announced before Yoruichi kicked him in the back. "Hey!"

"You said back to training." She smirked. "Plus you look so cute helpless there on the floor before me."

"Sadistic." Uryu muttered.

"Want to join him?"

"I'll return to my post."

"That's what I thought."

* * *

"Woo hoo!" Keigo shouted standing on a table top with Usopp both being cheered on by the patrons of the town as they drank from their mugs.

"I am Captain Usopp! Tremble before me!" Usopp cheered. "For I am the greatest pirate to sail the Grandline!"

"Damn fools." Tatsuki muttered drinking from her own mug a slight tinge of pink on her cheeks from how the alcohol was effecting her, Nami was on her twelfth, having joined some competition. As soon as money was mentioned the younger girl was in it to win it. She had even roped Zoro into it who was on his tenth cup.

Luffy was off in the crowd somewhere eating to his heart's content, apparently Chad was with him although not eating nearly anything near as much as the other Captain. Sanji was surrounded by beautiful girls all who were simply do-eyed and almost love struck over the perverted cook. Tatsuki herself was on her fifth mug that evening, wandering when the hell Ichigo was going to show up, she didn't want what was happening with Orihime going on much longer. Ichigo was going to be the only one able to snap her out of it, he always could.

"Come on!" Orihime whined a seductive smile on her face. "Ain't any of you guys worth my time." Yep there it was, Orihime's drunk side. The woman in question was sitting on a bar stool leaning back on the bar, both her arms propped up on the bar top jutting her chest out slightly with her legs crossed as men drooled before her.

"So? Who's next?" Orihime questioned before the men before her all raised there hands at once. "Hmm?" She rose a hand up everyone watching in anticipation before moving to the finger to her lips tracing them slightly. "You." She pointed to one of them. "You're up." She smiled. "Shoes off." She commanded and the man nodded, his now bare feet standing before the burning hot coals.

"_Where did she even get those coals from?"_ Tatsuki thought only to sweat drop as she saw a love struck bar tender blow on the coals making them glow red hot. The trick to Orihime's sadistic game was that if you crossed the burning hot coals with bare feet you could by her a drink. Cross it on hands and knees you could have a conversation with her. Butt naked crawling across it on your stomach and you'd get a kiss on the cheek.

"You can do it." Orihime purred with the most seductive look she could manage, half the men standing before her fainted. She leaned forward propping her head up on her arm that rested on her thigh. "For me?" She teased waving her mug at him showing that it was empty. "I'm getting awfully thirsty." She pouted.

The man nodded his head and stepped onto the coals, tears already coming to his eyes. Orihime rose a finger and beckoned him forward making him cry out as he stepped onto the coals. Every single man behind him egging him on. He managed to get half way before crying and rushing over to the side making Orihime puff her cheek up in annoyance.

"Boring." Orihime sighed just as the door slammed open gaining her attention and her eyes widened. "Ichigo! You're finally here!" She cried out making Ichigo groan, he could already see the countless men who were in pain because of the dominating drunk. "Baby you're finally here! I missed you! These guys were no fun at all!" Ichigo paled as the drunk Orihime ran through the crowd and leapt through the air forcing Ichigo to catch her only for her arms to wrap around him as he set her on the floor however had no way out of the restricting hug. He saw all the men in the bar glaring at him making him scowl back.

"Orihime, what'd you do?" Ichigo questioned making Orihime pull back from the hug.

"Oh, just playing waiting for you to show up." She told him turning around and leaning up against him with a smile seeing how everyone was jealous of the man she adored. "Now, how about me and you go back to the ship and get cosy?" She questioned nuzzling her shoulder into his chest in a suggestive manner as she looked up to see him with an annoyed look, it only made him more attractive.

Ichigo simply sighed, every time she got drunk Ichigo found that she had an odd fascination with thinking that they were some kind of couple where dominance and submission played a large roll. He never understood why. He was just glad she never remembered anything when she woke up the next morning complaining about her headache. Things would be way to awkward and it would of put a large strain on their friendship.

"Tatsuki, I'm taking Orihime back to the ship. You coming?" He questioned as he saw Keigo on a tower of tables stacked up in the middle of the room with Usopp.

"Yeah." Tatsuki mumbled drinking the rest of her booze. "Chad?"

"I'll make sure Keigo gets back alright." The large man said sitting beside a bloated Luffy who was still eating to his hearts content.

"I don't know about this Ichi-baby." Orihime said grabbing Ichigo's face in her hands and making him look down at her, his lips pushed forward by how her hands were holding his cheeks. "I'm not into the threesome thing." Ichigo groaned in annoyance, he didn't sign up for this!

"Orihime. Shut up." Tatsuki told her making Orihime mock glare at her before poking her tongue out at her only for the martial artist to grab it and smile evilly at her. "Trust me, I am not going to be sleeping with either of you any time soon." She said letting go of her friends tongue.

"I don't get it Tatsuki, Ichigo is anything a woman could possibly want in a man. He's handsome, strongest thing this side of God and look at these abs!" She said hefting Ichigo's shirt up and patting his stomach making Ichigo hang his head. Why had he lost the rock paper scissors game with Uryu, the bastard should of played best two out of three.

"His attitude stinks!" Tatsuki shouted at her.

"Sexiness makes up for it!" Orihime shouted back defending her man.

"He thinks he's god gift to the world!"

"Look at him! He is!" Orihime shouted her frustration at her before simply crossing her arms beneath her bust gaining a blissful smile on her face. "I wish he was a sex god." Orihime gave a pleasant sigh.

"That's it!" Ichigo shouted grabbing Orihime and throwing her over his shoulder. "Tatsuki, we're leaving."

"He even has an incredible ass!" Orihime cried staring directly at it from over Ichigo's shoulder before swinging her arm back and slapping Ichigo right on the rump making him growl before she squeezed. "It's so firm! Here feel." She said to Tatsuki.

"Hell no!" Tatsuki shouted.

"Where are you... Ma-ma-ma... going?" Igarappoi asked standing at the entrance to the bar making Ichigo scowl before he jumped slightly as Orihime's hand sank down the back of his pants.

"Tatsuki! Remove her hand!" Ichigo shouted over his shoulder.

"Damn it Orihime!" Tatsuki growled gripping her arm and pulling it from the confines of Ichigo's pants.

"The party is just beginning my friends! Please, stay and enjoy our hospitality." Igarappoi smiled at them.

"She's drunk and quite frankly needs to stop being drunk." Ichigo told Igarappoi. "Thing will only get worse." Tatsuki had to groan in acknowledgement at that, the first time Orihime had ever gotten drunk on her twentieth birthday four buildings in Karakura remarkably disappeared.

Orihime had gotten drunk, tripped on the side walk and bumped her head on the wall of a building, she got angry at it summoned Tsubaki and boom... buildings were gone. Everyone was just lucky that they were newly constructed and no one was within. Ichigo wondered if it was ever a good idea for Orihime to wield such offensive power with her power to reject anything. She had gained a lot of strength during the Quincy War.

"We had fun, but she needs to go to bed." Tatsuki stated.

"With my man damn it!" Orihime cheered while Ichigo led her out into the street Igarappoi not knowing what to do as Tatsuki followed after them. Igarappoi bit his nail as he looked around the rest of the bar, this wasn't how the plan was suppose to go.

"_We still have the thirty million beri bounty, there is no reason for the other crew to suspect anything either."_ The large man thought before signalling the others to hurry up with their mission.

* * *

"Damn waste of time." Rukia muttered as she walked up the ramp to the Umi No Tamashi, seeing Yoruichi laying on deck looking up at the stars. "There's not a damn shop in this town! What kind of town doesn't have a market district!?" She shouted in annoyance making Yoruichi turn her head to face her.

"Apparently this one." Yoruichi said before looking back up at the sky.

"Would you stop it!" Ichigo's shout came from below.

"Just an itty bitty kiss!" Orihime whined.

"Haha!" Tatsuki laughed.

"Tatsuki! Knock it off!" Ichigo shouted once more.

"She's just jealous!" Orihime declared.

"Like hell!" Tatsuki shouted.

"It would appear Orihime is drunk." Uryu and Rukia sighed making Yoruichi cock an eyebrow as she sat up.

"Am I the only one not getting the joke?" She questioned before Ichigo came up the ramp, Orihime over his shoulder struggling in his grip. "So, becoming a true pirate now Ichigo, really living up to the image, dragging girls off from towns, what next you're going to take her below and ravage her to your little hearts content?" Yoruichi questioned.

"Damn right he is!" Orihime squealed happily making Yoruichi stare in shock before craning her head to Uryu who simply nodded, Yoruichi could do nothing but laugh her ass off, feet and hands smacking against the deck unable to control herself. Ichigo growled and passed Orihime to Tatsuki who managed to at least stabilise the drunk woman.

"Take her below." Ichigo told her. "I'm going to get some sleep, if anything happens... don't wake me I'm sure you can handle it." He said heading below, Orihime whining about not being ravaged by him making Tatsuki groan, Yoruichi still laughing on deck while Uryu and Rukia simply chuckled lightly. Orihime was always a sight to see when drunk.

-Several Hours Later-

It was hours later that Ichigo was kicked in the side and hit the cabin floor with a thud, he groaned as he sat up and glared at Rukia who threw him his Zanpakuto, even in his tired state he managed to catch them.

"Get up." She instructed. "Something big is going on in town, Chad and Keigo also haven't returned yet and it's three in the morning." She explained making Ichigo stand up, forgoing getting dressed and simply following her in just a white long sleeved shirt and sweat pants with no shoes he followed her out onto deck. "Yoruichi went to go and bring Chad and Keigo back, Uryu is staying with the ship, Tatsuki and Orihime are still asleep below."

"Great." Ichigo yawned as he ran a hand through his hair noting that smoke was rising and there was fire further in town before an explosion caused a building to collapse. "Let's go." He sighed and she nodded as they both ran down the street, Ichigo growling slightly as his bare feet hit the cold dirt but simply putting it to the back of his mind as he and Rukia ran towards the explosion. When they came closer to the explosion they heard voices as they continued to approach.

"Igaram, the Squad Captain of Alabasta Kingdom Security and the Princess of Alabasta Kingdom, Vivi Nefertari. In the name of Baroque Works' boss, we'll eliminate you two." Mr Five stated.

"Damn it Rukia, what the hell did you drag me into?" All heads turned to where Ichigo and Rukia were standing, Miss Wednesday or properly known as Vivi Nefertari stared wide eyed at the two, Ichigo who looked like he had just woken up and Rukia who seemed not at all surprised at the current situation. "Princess's? Elimination? Is Orihime still awake and making this thing up somehow?" He questioned.

"Ichigo, shut up. I'm just as surprised as you are." Rukia huffed out.

"Who the hell are you two?" Mr Five questioned turning to face Ichigo who simply glanced up at him with a tired look before turning to Vivi.

"Oi! Why the hell are these people spouting crap this damn early in the morning?"

"R-Run..." Vivi started. "Run away! Please!" She shouted. "You're no match for them! Please just run!"

"Great now she's shouting." Ichigo groaned picking at his ear. "Why is everyone so loud in the morning, disrespectful."

"Idiot." Rukia sighed. "She's the princess you moron, of Alabasta kingdom was it?" She questioned however got a simple blank stare from everyone. "I owe Yoruichi some money, I said high born noble, she called princess." She shrugged.

"You knew!?" Vivi shouted in surprise. "And you bet on it!?" She cried in even more surprise.

"Yeah, it was easy to figure out for anyone." Rukia told her as Ichigo simply scratched his cheek. "Except for this moron." Rukia said making Ichigo scowl at her.

"So, you're in cohoots with the princess?" Miss Valentine questioned. "Either way we won't let any of you escape."

"Die! Igarappappa!" Igaram shouted pulling on the strings of his neck tie causing the guns in his hair to fire constantly. "Run! Princess Vivi, you must escape! Please!" Hw shouted over the gun fire that continued to fire. Ichigo watched in annoyance before Rukia flash stepped before Igaram as something soared through the air.

"Bakudo! #8 Seki!" Rukia called out creating a round shield that appeared before both herself and Igaram only for whatever it was that Mr Five flicked to explode on the other end of the shield. Igaram stood there motionless simply seeing Rukia appear right in front fo him before an explosion rocked the are just a few meters in front of him.

"Damn it Rukia, can't we just leave?" Ichigo questioned already reaching for his Zanpakuto.

"Would you stop your complaining."

"Hey, Ichigo!" Zoro called out form above him making Ichigo glance up.

"Oh, hey Zoro, what are you doing up there?"

"Trying to get some peace and quiet. Mind trying to keep Luffy out of danger, he's down there with you." He called down making Ichigo look around only to spot the bloated form off Luffy off to the side snowing away.

"I'll try." Ichigo said before walking forward up to the stunned Vivi. "Oi, Princess right?" Ichigo questioned making Vivi look up at him to see that he was holding one of his Zanpakuto on his shoulder while simply holding the other one at his hip. "You've got some explaining to do after all this trouble, got it?"

"No, you can't defeat them! That's Mr Five and Miss Valentine! Elite operatives of Baroque Works!" Ichigo simply shrugged.

"Like I care, so sit your ass down and wait for it to be over."

"Excuse me!?" She shouted at him.

"I said sit your ass down!" Ichigo growled making her pale and immediately sit. "Good, now Rukia get out of the way. I'm the one that's got to get stronger and crap, I want to use my Shikai before the end of the week." Ichigo mumbled as he walked forward past Igaram and Rukia.

"Sure whatever hotshot." Rukia mumbled turning to Igaram only to see Vivi with a pale expression on her face sitting on the ground. "Ichigo, you can't talk to a princess like that!"

"Like I give a rats ass if she's a princess or not." Ichigo muttered standing before Mr Five and Miss Valentine. "So show me what you've got."

"Very well, we'll show you not to mess with Baroque Works!" Mr five started before shoving his finger up his nose.

"Yeah, I'm shaking in my boots." Ichigo dead panned before Mr Five pulled snot from his nose before flicking it at Ichigo, everyone watched as Ichigo was absorbed by the massive explosion that erupted from the gross projectile.


	7. Chapter 7

The explosion was the biggest from Mr Five so far for the night, the burning inferno crossed the entire street from building to building. Miss Valentine was laughing as the smoke and embers rose high into the sky as Mr Five stood beside her, a cocky smirk on his face. Vivi was staring wide eyed at the explosion, her body trembling as she knelt on the ground.

Vivi honestly didn't know what to originally think of the orange haired Captain when she spent the few days aboard the Umi No Tamashi, he seemed indifferent to their presence aboard his ship, even annoyed although he never told herself or Mr Nine to get off. Now he had just stepped in to deal with Mr Five and Miss Valentine like it had been an instinctive action for him, only to die because she was to weak. Vivi clenched her eyes shut as tears began to fall, so many people had been hurt in her investigation of Baroque Works, they had finally found out the information that they needed to bring back to Alabasta, and now...

"Did you just flick exploding snot at me!?" Ichigo's voice shouted making Vivi's head shoot up to see through the fire only to find Ichigo standing behind Mr Five and Miss Valentine who were wide eyed staring over their shoulders at the orange haired Captain. "That's disgusting!" He roared at Mr Five.

"Hear we go." Rukia muttered with an annoyed sigh.

"Rukia, shut it. I've been through some shit in my day, one saving your ungrateful ass and now I've got exploding snot to deal with!?" Ichigo shouted. "You flick any more snot at me, I'm cutting your nose off." Ichigo declared pointing at Mr Five.

"Just hurry up, Yoruichi will be back with Keigo and Chad on the ship soon enough, then we can disembark and carry on with... wherever we're going." Rukia told him.

"We should probably get a map of the Grandline or something huh?" Ichigo questioned making Rukia nod before Ichigo was enveloped in another explosion, Vivi staring wide eyed at the somewhat random conversation the two were having in the middle of the fight. Her eyes widened even further as she saw Ichigo appear crouched sideways on a wall with a scowl before brandishing both of his Zangetsu. "I warned you, ya damn disgusting freak!" Ichigo shouted before launching himself off the building, the building itself crumbling in on itself as he flew towards the smoke covered area. Vivi lost sight of him as he re-entered the smoke before a shout of pain rang through the air.

"Mr Five!" Miss Valentine shouted out from the smoke.

"Ichigo! Did you actually cut his nose off!" Rukia shouted. "What the hell!"

"He was flicking snot at me!" Ichigo shouted back. "I told him if he did it again I'd do it! So shut your damn trap!" As the smoke began to clear, Mr Five could be seen holding his face the object that had just been sliced off his face laying on the ground at his feet.

"You bastard!" Mr Five shouted glaring at Ichigo.

"I warned you." Ichigo said swiping his smaller Zanpakuto to the side, the blood from his blade splattering on the ground before looking at Miss Valentine who was glaring at him. "Seriously? You want to fight too, can't we just call it a night, I'm tired, you guys are probably tired, he's losing blood. Plus we've got the princess to deal with, because I'm not leaving her here without an explanation." He said looking over his shoulder at Vivi who was staring at him. "Got it?" He questioned to the blue haired princess who nodded dumbly.

"Hey Ichigo, take that guy down, he's freaking me out." Zoro called down as he sat on the rooftop chugging from the bottle of alcohol he was holding. "Flicking snot at someone, that's just damn right disgusting." He declared.

"Right?" Ichigo said before turning back to Rukia. "At least someone agrees with me!" He shouted at her, pointing up at Zoro.

"Ichigo pay attention damn it!" Rukia shouted making Ichigo turn back only to open his eyes in surprise as Miss Valentine started to rise up in the air spinning her umbrella as if raising up into the sky on the wind itself. Ichigo tilted his head to the side before ducking underneath the arm of Mr Five who had tried to close line him and he went stumbling over the orange haired Captain.

"Ten Thousand Kilogram press!" Miss Valentine shouted making Ichigo look up to see her descending from the sky at an incredible speed.

"Get out of the way!" Igaram shouted to Ichigo before the Soul Reaper simply stepped to the side making Miss Valentine eyes widened before she hit the ground and with her entire ten thousand kilogram weight she sunk deep into the ground.

"It's like he's not even trying." Vivi said in awe. _"Their top members of Baroque works and he's not even paying attention yet beating them easily." _She thought as Ichigo turned to Mr Five who's face was covered in scuff marks, his nose gone and bleeding heavily covering his lower face in blood. Ichigo sighed before sheathing both of his swords.

"What a waste of good sleep, couldn't you have dealt with this yourself Rukia?" Ichigo questioned.

"You're the one who said you need training." Rukia told him. "Plus, you've barely beaten that guy up yet." She said shrugging it off.

"What's the point, his exploding snot is gone now. He's practically useless." Ichigo told her.

"That's what you think!" Mr Five shouted rushing forward and grabbing Ichigo's face within his hand. "I ate the Bomb Bomb devil fruit! I can turn any part of my body into a bomb!"

"What is this devil fruit?" Ichigo questioned behind Mr Five's hand. "I keep hearing about it."

"Let me be the first to show you first hand!" Mr Five shouted his hand glowing before an explosion rocked out, screaming could be heard from within the smoke cloud that had gathered. Rukia sighed as she saw the fear struck Vivi, Mr Nine still didn't know what the hell was going on. Igaram had wide eyes as he watched the fight commence. They all saw a figure walking from the cloud of smoke holding someone else before they saw Ichigo with slight scuff marks on his face holding the collar of the unconscious Mr Five. What surprised them even more was that the arm that had been holding Ichigo's face was now gone from the elbow down.

"Trying to blow me up, bastard." Ichigo scoffed throwing the unconscious body over to the side, the body tumbling across the street before coming to a stop as Ichigo rolled his shoulder. "Alright Princess, time to give us some answ-!" A fist impacted the side of Ichigo's face catching him by surprise as it sent him crashing into the building opposite him, the orange haired captain smashed through a wall before crashing into furniture within. Luffy stood to the side as everyone turned to him an angry expression on his face.

"Luffy!" Zoro shouted from the rooftop as he saw the bloated Luffy's arm retract to it's normal length as he breathed heavy. "What the hell are you doing!?"

"You're next Zoro!" Luffy shouted. "How could you! These people were nothing but nice to us and you decide to cut them all up!"

"You don't know what the hells going on! You've been asleep just let me explain it to you!" Zoro continued to shout down at him.

"Shut up!" Luffy shouted. "Gum Gum Pistol!" He shouted rearing back with his arm before sending the extended rubber limb at Zoro who jumped off of the roof of the building as Luffy's fist connected destroying it and making it crumble down into the street below.

"This isn't going to be good." Rukia said crouching down next to Vivi. "You're going to want to move now." Vivi looked up at her before a strong wave of air pushed against them, turning back to the ruined building collapsed they saw Ichigo pushing debris off himself, bleeding from the top of his head with his shirt ripped slightly.

"You're dead." Ichigo growled drawing his Zanpakuto again as Luffy stopped and looked over at him.

"Gum Gum Bazooka!" Ichigo's eyes widened as he saw Luffy's arms extend backwards before shooting forward at him, it was the first time he had seen Luffy's powers at work. In the last few days he either wasn't paying attention to the other crew or was too busy training. The rest of the Karakura Crew knew of Luffy's strange power. Luffy's fists impacted Ichigo in the stomach sending him flying back, Luffy's arms following them before Luffy shouted in pain and drew his arms back, one of them having been smeared in blood. "You cut me!"

"You hit me ya bastard!" Ichigo's shout came from within the building.

"That doesn't mean you can cut me! Gah! Gum Gum Gatling!" Ichigo's eyes widened as it looked as if hundreds of fists were coming at him all at once, slowing his breathing he watched as the fists came at him before ducking and weaving through them all, the speed training Yoruichi had been giving him was really starting to pay off. "You dodged them all!" Luffy shouted before pulling his fists back noticing Ichigo was going to cut him again. "Why'd you beat up all these people! They were so nice!"

"Just let us explain!" Zoro shouted at him only for Luffy's arm to whip back and smash into his side sending him flying into one of the buildings. "Damn it Luffy!" Zoro shouted before the building collapsed on him. Vivi, Mr Nine and Igaram all stared in shock while Rukia simply sighed.

"Aren't they all on the same side?" Vivi questioned the soul reaper. "Why are they fighting?"

"Who knows." Rukia shrugged. "So, want to tell me what's going on here?" She questioned making Vivi look down at the ground. "Princess, we can't help you if you don't tell us what is going on." Vivi's eyes widened as she stared up at her. "We may be pirates, but we're good people. We can't turn a blind eye away from someone that needs our help. Why do you think Ichigo stepped in before? He can't just let someone like yourself get hurt." She smiled.

"So you're really a princess Miss Wednesday?" Mr Nine questioned as the battle raged on around them, Luffy fighting against Ichigo and Zoro both.

"Yes Mr Nine, that's right." Vivi nodded. "Both Igaram and I are from the Kingdom of Alabasta." Vivi explained before going on to tell them about what was happening in Alabasta, how the Boss of Baroque Works was creating a civil war in the country just so he could take control of the country when the dust had settled.

"Princess, please we must escape here." Igaram told her.

"He's right." Vivi said to Rukia. "We have to head back to our country, we have important information to give to my father." She explained to the petite Soul Reaper.

"Do you have a ship?" Rukia questioned.

"Yes, but now that Mr Five and Miss Valentine are out of the picture Mr Zero will send even more powerful people after us." Igaram told Rukia. "Please, you have strong people among your crew yes? I ask that you protect Princess Vivi and sail directly towards the Kingdom of Alabasta!"

"Igaram! What about you!" Vivi cried.

"I'll make a diversion." Igaram told her. "Please Princess Vivi, you sailed with these people for a few days already and no harm was brought to you. Please Miss, you will be handsomely rewarded for bringing Vivi back to her country."

"I'm in!" Nami cheered making everyone turn to see her sitting on a barrel. "How's one billion berries sound!" She laughed giving them the victory sign as Igaram and Vivi stared at her with wide eyes. "One billion Beri for escorting your princess through the Grandline being attacked by this Baroque Works and risking our lives. I think it's fair."

"I... I'm just a simple soldier Miss, I can't promise you anything like that." Igaram told her.

"I can!" Vivi said standing on her feet truly not knowing herself if even her country had such funds, even if it was a lie she had to get to Alabasta as soon as possible. "The royal family can pay!" Nami's eyes turned to Beri signs before Rukia placed a hand on the princess's shoulder.

"There will be no need for that." Rukia told her making the blue haired teen turn to her with wide eyes. "We have no set destination, Alabasta seems good enough as anywhere. If we're attacked we'll act in self defence and protect anyone aboard our ship." Vivi's eyes widened as a smile came to her face. "Including you."

"But my reward." Nami sobbed before breaking out into a full on wail.

"What about your Captain?" Vivi questioned.

"Ichigo?" Rukia questioned looking over to where Luffy, Zoro and Ichigo were all butting heads, all bleeding heavily. "Yeah, screw what he thinks." Rukia smirked. "I never have."

"And the rest of your crew?" Igaram asked. "Will they be ok, dealing with Baroque Works will not be easy." He told them.

"The moment Orihime finds out you're a princess she'll be all over you like a bad smell, trust me." Rukia smiled, Vivi having to smile remembering the energetic woman's personality quirks. She found it hard to stay in her character as Miss Wednesday around Orihime. "Everyone else will simply shrug, Keigo may complain about causing danger to rain down on us but he's not use to what we are, so no worries."

"Are they going to be ok?" Mr Nine questioned as everyone turned to the three standing in the middle of the street, beaten and bruised, Luffy's stomach had returned to it's normal state and was no longer bloated.

"Hey! Enough already." Yoruichi called down from a rooftop causing everyone to look up at the dark skinned woman. "We got to get moving, the log-pose has reset and it's probably best we head out before the sun comes up."

"She is right." Igaram nodded. "I must make haste in my distraction."

"What's going on now?" Luffy questioned as he turned around to face everyone only for them to sigh.

"Can I go back to bed now?" Ichigo questioned. "Because this has been a pain in the ass." He said rolling his head from side to side before spitting out some blood from one of Luffy's punches.

"Yeah, Ichigo, Princess Vivi is coming with us." Rukia told him making him turn to the slightly nervous teen who hid behind Rukia.

"Righto." Vivi's mouth dropped at how easily he had accepted it. Rukia simply smiling at her.

"Who's a Princess now?" Luffy questioned completely confused before Zoro hit him over the head. "Hey!"

"Idiot, if you had just listened before throwing your fists you might actually understand what's going on! This entire town was made up of Bounty hunters, the Princess over there was undercover for some reason getting information about something or other."

"Really!? Why didn't you just say so!" Luffy laughed.

"Because you're a moron!" Both Ichigo and Zoro shouted at him.

"Wait! We still don't have a log-pose!" Nami shouted. "How are we suppose to leave!?"

"Not our problem." Ichigo muttered. "We brought you here, find yourself a way off."

"Why you big jerk!" Nami shouted at him.

"I guess you could follow us again." Yoruichi smiled making Ichigo glare up at her. "At least until you find a log-pose of your own." Nami cheered jumping up and down on the spot making Ichigo groan in annoyance.

"I'm going back to bed." He mumbled sheathing his Zanpakuto and heading for the dock. "If anything happens, handle it yourselves. I mean it this time Rukia!"

"Yeah yeah, blah blah blah, you're a lazy ass. We get it." Rukia mumbled out waving her hand to the side making Vivi giggle lightly.

"You want me to cut you!" Ichigo shouted at her.

"Bring it!" Rukia shouted back, Vivi chuckling awkwardly as the larger man butted heads with the shorter woman, it was a slight comical sight. When everyone had gathered which was Ichigo being very much annoyed that Rukia wouldn't let him go to sleep, Rukia herself, Yoruichi, Zoro, Nami, Luffy and Vivi while Igaram had disappeared somewhere saying that he needed to prepare so they would meet him at where the getaway ship was located. Mr Nine had opted to leave them to their business so he could take care of the members of Baroque works that Zoro had defeated.

"So, we're taking the princess back to her kingdom then?" Yoruichi questioned as Rukia handed her the money that she owed from the bet that the two made.

"I figured we needed to set some kind of set course." Rukia told her as Yoruichi pocketed the money. "Better then just sailing around and moving from island to island with no motivation involved." She explained.

"I'd have to say you made a good call Rukia." Yoruichi smiled. "Who knows we might even fight some on these Baroque Works agents and get Ichigo some more training."

"He dealt with Mr Five with seemingly no trouble at all." Vivi said. "How much more training could he possibly need?" She questioned as she looked over to where Ichigo and Zoro had both shut their eyes as they sat up against a rock formation.

"A lot." Both Yoruichi and Rukia told her.

"He's powerful, incredibly so but he needs to be able to use that power without putting a strain on his body." Yoruichi explained to her. "Until he's stronger, Rukia and myself or possibly even Uryu are the strongest aboard the Umi No Tamashi."

"So you've got nothing to worry about from these Baroque Works thugs, we'll take care of any that need to be taken care of." Rukia told Vivi with a smile. "As soon as we say farewell to Igaram we'll get going and set course for Alabasta."

"I humbly request that you island hop your way home Princess." Igaram spoke up making everyone turn to look at him only to recoil in shock as he looked to be cross-dressing as Vivi.

"Igaram, what are you..." Vivi started.

"A humble disguise Princess." Igaram told her. "I shall set out and return directly to Alabasta as a divergence so you can return home safely." He explained.

"Cool costume weird old guy!" Luffy cheered rushing over to them.

"Please listen, all of you." Igaram said noting the two sleeping swordsman.

"We'll explain it to them after." Yoruichi told him making him nod.

"Once Baroque Works intelligence network learns what happened here, pursuers may come after you almost immediately. I witnessed both of the Unlucky's flying away a short while ago meaning they are already sending word back." Vivi's eyes widened in shock. "Since you're aware of the boss's identity they won't have orders to capture you."

"We'll protect her." Rukia stated.

"Knowing them... they'll be sending a thousand or so people after us." Vivi said softly.

"A thousand people!" Nami shouted in shock. "What kind of company is this!" She cried. "First I get jipped from my billion beri reward and now I'm going to be having a thousand people after me! Can this day get any worse!"

"I'll pretend to be you Princess Vivi and sail directly to Alabasta." Igaram stated.

"A decoy..." Yoruichi muttered. "You're a brave man Igaram."

"I'd do anything for my country Miss." Igaram stated.

"Who's this boss?" Rukia questioned. "And why is his identity so secretive?" She questioned, Vivi's and Igaram's eyes widening.

"We can't tell you that!" Vivi shouted. "If you know you'll be in just as much danger!"

"But you know who it is right?" Luffy questioned.

"I'll pass! I don't want to know!" Nami shouted. "If this guy is controlling a company with thousands of bounty hunters, trying to assassinate the princess of a kingdom all the while trying to take over that kingdom! They're obviously insanely dangerous people! So stop asking Luffy!" She shouted at her captain.

"As strong as you people are you'd never stand a chance against against one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, against Crocodile!"

"Who now?" Luffy questioned.

"Crocodile huh?" Yoruichi questioned. "Seven Warlords of the Sea, oh I know who they are!" Yoruichi laughed. "Yeah, Kisuke's got a book on them below deck. I'll show you later Rukia."

"Sure thing." Rukia nodded.

"If it's so dangerous why did you tell us!" Nami shouted shaking Vivi violently.

"I'm sorry!" Vivi cried.

"A warlord huh?" Luffy questioned before grinning. "That's so cool!"

"Even knowing that you're going up against one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, will you still go. Knowing the danger you must face?" Igaram questioned Yoruichi.

"Sure, plus I hear Crocodiles had an eighty million beri bounty on his head. Could be fun." She grinned.

"Eighty million!? That could by so much food!" Luffy cheered as Nami sank to her knees crying as Vivi tried to apologise to her.

"Princess, please be safe and I hope to see you in Alabasta soon." Igaram told her.

"Good luck Igaram, and thank you." Vivi smiled up at him.

"It is my duty Princess." Igaram smiled as he boarded his ship. Rukia walked over to Ichigo and kicked his foot making him groan as he opened his eyes.

"Come on, get up we're heading back to the ship soon." Ichigo ran a hand through his hair as he stood up, Zoro still sleeping where he sat. Ichigo yawned and walked over to where Yoruichi was standing with slightly narrowed eyes.

"Something wrong." Ichigo questioned.

"I'm not sure, it's hard to sense spiritual pressure here. Sure if there is a large amount such as when we arrived at Whiskey Peak it's easy to distinguish but if it's only one person or a few it's a lot harder too." Yoruichi told him.

"You're saying there is someone out there apart from the old guy?" Ichigo questioned.

"I can't be positive. We should get back to the ship." She told him and he nodded, he turned to Vivi who was still waving Igaram off before he felt it, it was the smallest spike in someone's spiritual pressure. Before anyone knew what was happening the ship that was sailing away was engulfed in white before a massive explosion rocked the entire bay. Powerful winds ripped past them making everyone shield themselves as the massive inferno burnt over the water.

"They're already after us!?" Nami shouted in shock. "That's impossible!"

"Yoruichi?" Ichigo questioned gritting his teeth.

"I can't sense him." She told Ichigo making him clench his hands into fists. "We need to go, now." Yoruichi instructed, Rukia nodding her head.

"The hell was that!?" Zoro shouted getting to his feet only to stare off with wide eyes at the massive inferno burning in the ocean.

"We have to go." Ichigo said gripping Vivi's arm as she stood motionless staring out where Igaram's ship had exploded. Vivi bit her lip trying to hold back tears, her lip started to bleed from how hard she was biting her lip. _"__Damn it!" _Ichigo cursed before grabbing Vivi by the waist and throwing her over his shoulder. "Let's go damn it!" Ichigo shouted running back towards the docks. The others getting the hint, however Ichigo noted that Luffy was already ahead of him. "Hey! Rubber freak! The hell you going!?"

"I've got to get Sanji and Usopp!" He shouted back. "I'll meet you at the docks!"

"Yoruichi, did you get Chad and Keigo?" Ichigo called back over his shoulder.

"Chad took Keigo to the ship after I woke him up. Everyone should be there and we'll be able to set sail as soon as we board." Ichigo simply nodded as he continued to run through the street filled with unconscious bounty hunters that Zoro had dealt with earlier. When the ship came into view that saw Chad on the deck.

"Drop the sails!" Ichigo called up to him. "We are getting out of here!" Chad nodded as Ichigo ran up the ramp, the lever pulled down and the sails dropped before catching the wind. Ichigo put Vivi down before stopping and looking at the yellow duck he had placed her next to. "Uh..."

"He was here even before I got here." Chad told him as the ship started to move.

"It's ok, it's Carue." Vivi told them wrapping an arm around the large ducks neck. "He's a friend." She said softly, burying her head into his yellow feathers, the yellow duck letting out a 'quack' as a result.

"Right, let's haul ass!" Ichigo called out as he went up to the wheel. "They better be following and if they're not, I hope we never see them again." He said turning the ship to travel through the canal.

"There will be a tributary just up ahead." Vivi said walking up the stairs. "Take it and we'll get out to the sea faster." Ichigo simply nodded and took the route Vivi pointed out for him. From what he could tell the straw hat pirates were coming up after them from all the shouting he could hear from Luffy telling them to slow down. As the sun started to rise a heavy fog rolled in from both sides of the island. "We should be reaching the sea soon." Vivi told him softly.

"You doing ok?" Ichigo questioned surprising her slightly before she nodded her head softly. "Sorry we couldn't of been more help to your friend." He apologised.

"It's ok, there was nothing that we could of done to save Igaram." She told him. "But thank you." Ichigo nodded his head as Yoruichi walked up the stairs.

"Slow down and let them pull upside us, we'll lash the two boats together again so they don't disappear amongst the fog." Yoruichi instructed making Ichigo nod his head.


	8. Chapter 8

"Does anybody want to explain to me what's going on?" Uryu questioned as he landed effortlessly on the deck, Vivi staring at him in surprise he had just dropped over fifty feet from the crows nest and it looked as if it didn't even bother him. "The explosions, why she's back on the deck and why we left in such a hurry?" He asked looking to Yoruichi and Rukia.

"She's a princess." Yoruichi shrugged.

"That we agreed to take her home to her kingdom that is under siege." Rukia added.

"With possibly thousands of people from a criminal organisation after us and more then likely going to try to capture and/or kill us." Yoruichi added making Vivi sweat drop as the two explained to the Quincy about what had happened back at Whiskey Peak like it was nothing at all to worry about. She had to wonder just who these people were. They weren't your average pirates, that's for sure.

"So who did Ichigo piss off?" The Quincy questioned causing Vivi's mouth to drop at the blame that was placed on the captain of the ship. Yoruichi, Rukia and Uryu all turned to their fearless captain... only to see him sleeping at the wheel, his arms resting between the handles with his head laying between two more to support himself. Chad standing next to him with the log-pose gently turning to wheel when it needed to be turned so they didn't go off course.

"Who doesn't that moron piss off?" Rukia questioned. "Look how he treated Vivi, simply picking her up like a sack of potatoes and haling ass out of there without any notion of caring for her well being, the brute could of hurt her." The soul reaper huffed.

"I'm fine really, there is really no concern to be had." Vivi tried to say, herself being excluded from the blame that was currently all being all directed at Ichigo, for seemingly no apparent reason apart from them wanting to blame it on him.

"He also cut off some guys nose an arm!" Rukia shouted.

"He what!?" Yoruichi said in shock and surprise.

"Yeah, he was flicking exploding nose boogers or something so Ichigo cut of his nose." Rukia shrugged.

"Well, I have to find his actions completely justifiable then." Uryu said pushing his glasses up. "That's just gross." Vivi was simply stunned at how everyone was interacting with one another, it was like the events of the past few hours hadn't even occurred and they were simply acting like normal.

"He didn't have to cut off the guys nose!" Rukia shouted at him.

"Did he warn him that he was going too?" Uryu questioned.

"Well now that I think about it... I think he did." Rukia nodded recalling the incident with Mr Five, the so called exploding booger guy.

"Then he has nothing to be apologetic for. The guy should of stopped being gross, do you know how unhygienic that could have been? You have no idea where his snot could of come from. The mucus could of held serious bacteria within it." He explained. "It could of caused sickness upon the ship. Ichigo did the right thing, although quite frankly he can get sick all he wants."

"So not caring about Ichigo's health, just everybody else's?" Rukia questioned.

"He gets sick and I'm throwing his ass overboard." Uryu stated. "Not wasting the medical supplies on him."

"Harsh." Vivi muttered.

"Oh you haven't seen anything yet." Yoruichi smiled at her wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "You should see them really fight, they blew up half a city last time." She grinned, Uryu frowning at the memory of the most recent war within Soul Society, it wasn't a city just a large part of the Seritei. "So, the occupants of the other ship are sleeping, we got some time until we clear the fog and set full sail towards the next island." She added as she glanced up to see the sun still rising showing that it was still the early hours of the morning. "Vivi, if you'd like you can go get some rest." Yoruichi told her.

"I'm fine, really." Vivi assured her. "When everyone is awake I'd like to explain everything to them properly." She explained. "It would be better the sooner then it would be later." Yoruichi simply nodded her head as the group continued to talk for a time.

Soon enough everybody was awake, Ichigo reluctantly sitting with his eyes half closed not having gotten enough shut eye, sleep still trying to claim him as he sat on the rail of the ship. Vivi was explaining to them all about the situation in Alabasta, how Baroque Works had infiltrated the country under the orders of Crocodile who was pretending to be a hero to the people by stopping pirates and attacks that happened in the country. How crocodile had everyone fooled under the guise of one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, using the treaty with the World Government to hide the fact he was trying to take over the country.

"So you know all that?" A voice questioned.

"Yes, everything I said is what I've gathered in the time that I've been undercover." Vivi nodded before her eyes widened as she realised that none of the two crews she had spoken with had spoke up and now were looking up behind her. She turned only for her eyes to widen in shock at the woman that was sitting atop the railing.

"This ship is nice..." The woman said looking over the Umi No Tamashi, she had dark hair and was seemingly wearing a purple cowgirl outfit. "Large, built for speed, enough cannons to sink a decent size ship and is highly durable." She continued as she examined the ship she was currently on.

"Who the hell is that!?" Zoro growled grabbing at the hilt of his sword.

"It's... It's you!" Vivi said fear evident in her eyes as she continued to stare up at the woman.

"I just happened to run into your dear friend Mr 8 a short while ago Miss Wednesday, he didn't look so good." She said drumming her fingers on her cheek as she stared down at the two crews below her.

"So it was you who killed Igaram!" Vivi shouted up at her only causing Miss All Sunday to smirk lightly at the glares she was now receiving from both crews.

"The question is how you got aboard our ship?" Yoruichi questioned walking forward. "Just who are you?" She questioned placing a hand on Vivi's shoulder, there was something about the woman that showed Yoruichi that she wasn't here to be a threat, but in saying that the woman's guard wasn't down in the slightest.

"She's the boss's partner in Baroque Works." Vivi explained. "Miss All Sunday."

"You know who she is?" Nami questioned Vivi who nodded her head.

"So she's a bad guy!?" Luffy shouted. "You killed the weird old guy didn't you!?" Luffy shouted up at her.

"She's the only one in the entire company who knew of Crocodiles true identity, that is how we found out who he was, by following her." Vivi explained never taking her eyes off of Miss All Sunday.

"To be more accurate, I allowed you to follow me." Miss All Sunday spoke up.

"Oh... she's a good guy then?" Luffy questioned tilting his head slightly, not understanding the situation currently.

"I know you knew we were there!" Vivi shouted up at her. "You're also the one who told him that we had discovered his identity right!?"

"That's right." Miss All Sunday smirked.

"Bad guy!" Luffy growled.

"Luffy would you cut it out already." Zoro mumbled from behind his captain, he turned to find support in Ichigo only to see him sleeping on deck making him groan, why was he asleep at a time like this!? This was kinda of a crucial moment!

"What exactly is it you're trying to do!" Vivi shouted up at her.

"Oh, that's a good question." Miss All Sunday spoke. "You were just so serious that I found myself helping you out. The idea of a princess trying her hardest to save her kingdom while making herself an enemy of Baroque Works. The idea was just so... ridiculous." She smiled, clearly amused only for Yoruichi to appear before her in an instant making the woman's eyes widen in surprise before she felt the hardest kick in her entire life hit her stomach sending her flying back into the railing on the bow of the ship, the wood having cracked slightly as Yoruichi stood before her, both could hear the footsteps of the others running up the stairs the stern deck.

"Quite frankly Miss All Sunday." Yoruichi started. "The most ridiculous thing here is you, coming aboard our ship with no knowledge of us." She spoke as the woman glared at her from beneath her cowboy hat, holding her bruising stomach. "You didn't come her with the intention to harm Vivi, nor the rest of us." Yoruichi told her. "So why are you here?"

"I have no reason to fight you." Miss All Sunday spoke. "I wasn't given any orders to do so." She got out through gritted teeth as she stood on shaky legs, Yoruichi hadn't held herself back with that kick. "Curiosity is the reason I'm here."

"They say curiosity killed the cat." Yoruichi told her.

"Cat's also have nine lives to spare for the curiosity they have." Miss All Sunday said. "It would seem, the interest just doesn't lye with the Straw Hat Pirates but also with your own crew."

"Ah... Yoruichi isn't the Captain." Orihime spoke up holding her throbbing head, the hangover giving her a splitting headache.

"Oh? I thought she would be. First to act and without orders." Miss All Sunday mused allowed to herself.

"Our Captains currently passed out on the deck below." Uryu muttered. "He's had a tough night dealing with..." He glanced at Orihime who gave him a curious look as she tilted her head noticing the look Uryu was giving her. "Stuff."

"You people are really unlucky." Miss All Sunday spoke up. "You picked up a princess Baroque Works is intent on killing... and a princess being protected by a mere handful of pirates. But what's even unluckier is the position that your log-pose is pointing in." She said making Keigo look at the log-pose that Chad handed back to him as soon as he had gotten up. "The name of the next island in your path is Little Garden. Baroque Works won't even need to lift a finger you'll all be dead long before you reach Alabasta."

"We've handled more then you know." Rukia spoke up drawing her Zanpakuto. "Wars have been fought, monsters have been dealt with. The next island doesn't frighten the Karakura Pirates." Miss All Sunday rose an eyebrow at the name.

"The Karakura Pirates." She mused the name over. "I have no idea what that means and have never heard the name before."

"It's our hometown!" Orihime cheered happily before groaning, holding her head, Tatsuki patting her on the back gently in a comforting motion.

"I actually came here with a helpful cause." She said tossing an item to Yoruichi who caught it effortlessly and her eyes widened in surprise at the log-pose she was now holding.

"An Eternal Pose?" Yoruichi questioned clearly surprised.

"Using that you can skip past Little Garden without stopping, it points to an island just near Alabasta, known as Nanimonai Island. None of our agents know that course so no one will stop you and you won't be followed." Miss All Sunday explained to them.

"Why are you helping us?" Nami questioned.

"It's gotta be a trap right?" Zoro questioned. "There's no way it'll work out in our favour." Yoruichi looked down at the internal pose and smiled lightly before pocketing it.

"You just made out Captain very happy Miss All Sunday." Yoruichi spoke. "I don't even doubt he'll give you a big old hug if he sees you again."

"The day Ichigo hugs someone and he's not drunk is the day I'll fall on my own Zanpakuto." Rukia muttered making Yoruichi chuckle lightly at the remark.

"I don't understand." Miss All Sunday spoke, slightly confused at the reaction she had got from the dark skinned woman.

"Well, now that we have an extra log pose, we can hand over our normal log pose to the Straw Hat crew while heading on to Alabasta with little to no effort at all." She explained with a smile.

"You're giving us your log-pose!?" Nami shouted in glee. "Wait... that means your taking the princess home without us."

"That'd be about right." Yoruichi nodded in agreement.

"Even better!" Nami cried happily. "No more danger for us!" She danced with Usopp who was still trying to find out what exactly was happening, but since Nami was happy about no danger then he should be happy as well, hence the victory dancing he was currently engaged in.

"I'm glad I could be of help." Miss All Sunday said rubbing her now fully bruised stomach.

"Why is there a giant ass turtle beside our ship?" Ichigo's tired voice questioned as Ichigo walked up the stairs a tired look on his face before seeing everyone surrounding a cow girl. "And why is there a cow girl on board the ship?" He asked staring at Miss All Sunday.

"That turtle would be my ride handsome." Miss All Sunday told him as she eyed the so called Captain, to her he didn't look like much, probably because he had just woken up.

"Defiantly a dream." Ichigo mumbled before looking at the Straw hats. "Possibly a nightmare." He added.

"Good morning Ichigo!" Orihime smiled happily at him before crying about how her head hurt.

"Orihime, no drinking for you for a while." Tatsuki told her.

"Possibly never again." Both Ichigo and Uryu told her making the young woman pout at them.

"So, what's going on?" Ichigo questioned casting his look over to Vivi and then Miss All Sunday.

"I was just leaving." Miss All Sunday spoke. "We'll meet again." She called out leaping over the side of the rail. "Let's go Bunchi!" She called out landing on the giant turtle which rose it's head and swimming away from the two ships. The majority of the two crews rushing to the side to watch the giant turtle swim off.

"It's been an odd morning." Chad said to Ichigo who was now standing beside him.

"Now you have your own log-pose and can set your destination as you wish." Yoruichi said walking over to Nami after taking the log-pose off of Keigo and handing it to the teen. "Stay safe out there kiddos." She smiled at them.

"They're leaving?" Ichigo asked with hope in his tone.

"Yoruichi's giving them our log-pose since that woman gave us an eternal pose." Chad explained. "We should be able to pick up another log-pose in Alabasta."

"Thank god..." Ichigo sighed. "Peace and quiet for a while." He smiled happily. The two crews wished one another fair well on their journey's, Zoro and Ichigo promising one another a sword fight next time they saw each other. Sanji was gushing over how he had to leave the beautiful woman of the Karakura Crew before Tatsuki knocked him out. Keigo and Usopp shared an understanding hug at how dangerous their lives were about to get. Luffy said goodbye to everyone in his own way by wrapping his long arms around them all even his own crew and brought them all together in a hug. Ichigo could of sworn he felt Yoruichi pinch his ass in that hug.

As the Going Merry detached from the Umi No Tamashi the larger ship's speed made them push further ahead of the other crew. Orihime and Rukia were at the back of the ship waving intently at the smaller ship as they disappeared into the distance.

"Right, I'm going back to bed." Ichigo mumbled running a hand through his still bed messed hair.

"Yeah, might be a good idea." Uryu noted. "Orihime, Tatsuki and Keigo are the ones that have had the most rest since landing at Whiskey Peak."

"I'm fine." Chad told them. "I slept a little in the bar." He explained to them.

"Time to crash then!" Yoruichi cheered before her clothes fell to the ground in a heap before the woman's cat form struggled out of the neck hole of her shirt surprising Vivi that she had been the black cat that had offered her the ride back at the entrance of the Grand Line. Everyone of the straw hat crew had wondered where the black cat had gone unknowing that the cat had been Yoruichi the entire time. "Vivi, if you'd like there is a spare bed in the girls room. I won't be needing it since I prefer to sleep in this form." She explained making Ichigo groan knowing he was going to have to share his bed with a perverted cat for god knows how long.

"I think I'll stay up for a little while." Vivi smiled. "I just wanted to thank you all again." She said.

"Don't mention it." Ichigo told her, placing a hand atop her head before walking off, Yoruichi jumping up on his shoulder after Ichigo had picked up the discarded clothes that Yoruichi had dropped. Uryu simply nodded to Vivi who smiled lightly, not having much to do with the Quincy before watching him walk over to Keigo who was checking the charts.

"Keigo, keep an eye out for any ships in the area." The Quincy started as he handed him a spy glass.

"Wake you guys up if anything happens?" Keigo questioned making Uryu nod. "Easily done."

"Good, it could be other pirates, more Marines or even Baroque Works." Uryu explained. "I'd suggest that you keep up with your training also as I don't think dropping the Princess off at her home will be the end of our job." He explained.

"I was afraid of that." Keigo pouted but nodded all the same. "I'll also keep us on course." Uryu nodded before he glanced over to see Orihime smiling happily at him from where she was standing next to the rail, although Uryu could tell that she was severely hung over from the previous night's drinking.

"You doing ok?" Uryu questioned her as he approached.

"Uh huh." Orihime told him that ever pleasant smile on her face.

"There should be some aspirin in the infirmary if you'd like." He explained.

"No, no that's ok. We should use our supplies when we really need too." She told him happily. "Look, Tatsuki, Vivi and Chad seem to be getting along." She said making the Quincy look over to where the three others were talking, the large yellow duck also standing up there with them. "This is so fun being on an adventure like this again." She sighed happily with a smile.

"I will admit that it isn't going to be boring." Uryu smiled back at her as he pushed his glasses up. "I'm going to get some rest. We'll all be up before you know it complaining about hunger."

"Yosh! I'll defiantly have something yummy prepared for when you wake up then!" Orihime cheered with more enthusiasm then she had shown all morning.

* * *

Below deck Ichigo was laying in bed his eyes heavy as Yoruichi was curled up next to him, the clothes she had been previously wearing in her human form was now laying neatly next to Ichigo's bed, Yuzu had all but beat it into him to fold his clothes. He had just reacted on instinct, the only thing he hadn't folded was Yoruichi's underwear. Didn't stop Yoruichi from teasing him about wanting to sniff them. Yoruichi was watching him with one eye open as she watched his eyes droop before finally closing causing her to sigh.

"_That idiot, even if it didn't look like much he used to much of his power to soon."_ She thought to herself standing up as Ichigo slept. Jumping from the bed she walked out of the room into the hall and began to walk to the 'chill out room' Keigo had named, had even made a plark that now hung up on a wall in clear view. She saw Uryu walking down the stairs and he stopped.

"Not tired?" The Quincy questioned.

"Getting there, there is just something I have to do first." Yoruichi told him making him nod and head past her back down the way that she had come. Yoruichi quickly made her way up the stairs into the dining room transformed into her human form not caring for an instant about her nudity as she moved around to the cupboards and searched through them before finding what she was looking for. Something Kisuke had placed in here should it be needed. A transponder snail. Placing it on the table and taking a seat on the table next to it she picked up the receiver and started to dial, making the snail come awake. _"Come on Kisuke it's not that early."_ Yoruichi thought as the snail still tried to connect with the other line. After five minutes the snail looked up at her. "Don't give me that look, try again." She huffed making the snail roll it's eyes before it started to connect once more.

"_Hello?"_ The snail groaned out in Kisuke's voice.

"Get your lazy ass up and out of bed." Yoruichi growled into the receiver.

"_Oh, Yoruichi, how good to hear from you. How's the sailing going?"_ Kisuke questioned.

"Pleasant." Yoruichi told him. "Now, what I'm calling for."

"_Hmm?"_ The tired hum of Kisuke came back through the snail.

"I said wake up!" Yoruichi shouted. "This is important. That candy you gave Ichigo, it's becoming more troublesome then I thought it'd be." She explained.

"_He's suppose to train his body Yoruichi."_ Kisuke told her.

"And he has been, since we entered the Grandline, full days of training, spiritually, mentally, physically. Everything and he can barely use any of his power without it causing him complete exhaustion." Yoruichi explained to him. "He needs his Shikai in a week Kisuke." She told him.

"_What for?"_ Kisuke questioned, she could hear in his voice that he was starting to get serious.

"We're going up against Crocodile." Yoruichi informed him. "One of the Seven War Lords of the Sea, Baroque Works is already on our trail. Ichigo can barely use his flash step let alone any of his attacks." A sigh came from the other end of the snail. "He needs his power Kisuke." She stated.

"_Yeah, I got that."_ Kisuke said. _"I'll see what I can do, I'll send what I can by messenger bird otherwise I'll go back to Soul Society and deliver it through the Senkaimon on the ship personally."_ Kisuke informed her.

"You do that and you're bound to get a punch in the face from Ichigo." Yoruichi stated. "He's not the least bit happy about how much his power has been restricted by that candy you gave him. You should of just given him a gigai like mine or Rukia's."

"_And stash his body where exactly?"_ Kisuke questioned._ "Plus, having his full powers in his human body will be good for him, no more having to worry about simple matters such as his substitute badge or Kon."_

"Yeah, yeah I get it, just hurry up with something alright." Yoruichi instructed.

"_Got it."_ Kisuke told her making her sigh as she hung up the phone and let out a yawn stretching her arms above her head, her breasts jumping slightly before she heard the door open and for Keigo to walk in a freeze at the sight of the naked beauty sitting on the table. Yoruichi rolled her head to the side and winked at him with a seductive grin making his nose explode in a bloody mess before he fainted making Yoruichi pout.

"Not as much fun as teasing Ichigo." She mused allowed to herself as she transformed back into a cat and headed below.


End file.
